The BJP-led government on Tuesday announced a slew of fresh policies on job reservation, domicile status, languages and more for the Union Territory of Ladakh. The new policies reserved 85 per cent jobs for locals and one-third of the total number of seats in the Ladakh Autonomous Hill Development Councils for women.
Centre Announces New Reservation, Domicile Rules For Ladakh | What Does That Mean?
The move is being considered a major step towards protecting local people's interests as they have been protesting for constitutional safeguards to protect their language, culture and land
Citing multiple notifications issued by the government, PTI reported that the renewed policies for reservation in jobs, autonomous councils, domicile and languages will come into effect from Tuesday, June 10.
“The rules were notified days after the ministry and Ladakhi representatives met on May 27 and agreed,” said an official aware of the matter.
The move is being considered a major step towards protecting local people's interests as they have been protesting for constitutional safeguards to protect their language, culture and land after the special status of the erstwhile state of Jammu and Kashmir under Article 370 was abrogated in 2019.
85% Job Reservation
The Union Territory of Ladakh Reservation (Amendment) Regulation, on Tuesday, notified that the total quantum of reservation for jobs shall in no case exceed 85 per cent of the available vacancies, excluding reservation for economically weaker sections.
Further breaking down, the official statement mentioned that 80 percent of the vacancies were reserved for the region’s majority, Scheduled Tribes (STs), 4 per cent for those living along the Line of Actual Control or Line of Control, 1per cent for the Scheduled Castes, and 10% for the Economically Weaker Sections.
About The New Domicile Rules
As per the new rules, those who have resided for 15 years in the UT or studied there for a period of seven years and appeared in class 10 or 12 examination in an educational institution located in the UT, are eligible for the domicile status for appointment to any post under the UT or under a local or other authority other than cantonment board.
Children of central government officials, All India Services Officers, officials of Public Sector Undertaking and autonomous body of central government, Public Sector Banks, officials of statutory bodies, officials of central universities and recognised research institutes of central government who have served in the UT for a total period of 10 years are also eligible for the same.
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What Are The Other Rules?
Seats Reserved For Women
In another notification, the government asserted that under the Ladakh Autonomous Hill Development Councils Act, 1997, not less than one-third of the total number of seats in the Councils shall be reserved for women and such seats may be allotted by rotation to different territorial constituencies.
The rotation of constituencies reserved for women shall be made on the basis of a serial number allotted to each constituency by notification in the official gazette.
In Ladakh, there are two autonomous hill development councils, including the Ladakh Autonomous Hill Development Council, Leh and the Ladakh Autonomous Hill Development Council, Kargil.
Official Languages
English, Hindi, Urdu, Bhoti and Purgi languages have been made the official languages in Ladakh. However, English shall continue to be used for all the official purposes of the UT for which it was being used before the date of commencement of this regulation.
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The administrator of the UT will also take necessary steps to strengthen the institutional mechanisms for the promotion and development of other languages in Ladakh and the establishment of the Academy of Art, Culture and Languages.
Special efforts will be made for the promotion and development of other native languages of Ladakh like Shina (Dardic), Brokskat (Dardic), Balti and Ladakhi.
According to the provisions of the Jammu and Kashmir Reorganisation Act, Jammu and Kashmir has been made a UT with a legislative assembly and Ladakh a UT without any assembly.
The BJP-led Centre had assured a delegation from Ladakh in December 2023 that it was committed to fast-tracking the development of the UT and meeting the aspirations of the people in the region.
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