The central government has approved a significant policy shift for the Union Territory of Ladakh, greenlighting an 85% job quota for local residents. This decision, formalized through a notification issued by the Union Ministry of Law & Justice on Tuesday, comes after extensive discussions between representatives from Ladakh and a high-powered committee of the Union Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA). The MHA committee was led by Minister of State for Home Nityanand Rai.

The primary aim of this new quota is to safeguard the interests of the local population. For years, the people of Ladakh have been advocating for constitutional protections to preserve their unique language, culture, and land, especially after the revocation of Article 370 in 2019, which previously granted special status to the erstwhile state of Jammu and Kashmir.

The notification outlines that the changes in job reservation, autonomous councils, and domicile policies will be implemented immediately. It stipulates that individuals who have resided in Ladakh for 15 years or have studied there for at least seven years and appeared for their Class 10th or 12th examinations in a local educational institution will be considered domiciles of Ladakh. This domicile status is essential for appointment to any post under the UT or under any local authority, excluding cantonment boards.

In addition to the job quota, the notification also addresses representation in the Autonomous Hill Development Councils. It mandates that one-third of the seats in these councils be reserved for women, with the allocation of these seats rotated among different territorial constituencies based on a serial number system. The reservation for Economically Weaker Sections (EWS) will remain at 10%, aligning with central government regulations.

Both the Kargil Democratic Alliance (KDA) and the Apex Body Leh (ABL), which have been actively campaigning for the implementation of the Sixth Schedule of the Constitution in Ladakh, statehood, a separate public service commission, and two Lok Sabha seats for the region, have welcomed these notifications as a positive step. However, they have also stated that discussions regarding statehood and the implementation of the Sixth Schedule will continue.

The Union Territory of Ladakh Reservation (Amendment) Regulation, 2025, has been promulgated, capping the total reservation in government employment at 85 percent, excluding the quota for Economically Weaker Sections (EWS). Under an agreement between the Union Government, the Leh Apex Body (LAB), and the Kargil Democratic Alliance (KDA), 80 percent of jobs will now be reserved for Scheduled Tribes, four percent for residents living along the Actual Line of Control (ALC), and one percent for Scheduled Castes.

The new regulations also define a domicile for jobs as a person who has resided in the Union territory for 15 years, studied for seven years and appeared for class 10th or 12th examinations in Ladakh. This means any outsider settled in Ladakh after Jammu and Kashmir's was bifurcated into two Union territories in 2019 will be eligible for domicile status in 2034.

These changes reflect the government's commitment to addressing the concerns of the Ladakhi people and ensuring their representation and protection in the region's governance and employment sectors.