President of India Issues new reservation and domicile rules for Ladakh, reserving 85% of government jobs for locals. This major move aims to protect regional identity and ensure fair opportunities for Ladakh’s residents.
The President of India has issued the Union Territory of Ladakh Reservation (Amendment) Regulation, 2025, which reserves 85 percent of jobs in the region.
The Ministry of Home Affairs has revised the Jammu and Kashmir Reservation Act, 2004, to apply to the Union Territory of Ladakh.
According to reports from the Kashmir News Observer (KNO), the total reservation percentage in Ladakh is now capped at 85%, excluding quotas for Economically Weaker Sections (EWS).
As per an agreement between the Union Government and the Leh Apex Body & Kargil Democratic Alliance, 80% of positions will be reserved for Scheduled Tribes, 4% for residents near the Actual Line of Control (ALC)/Line of Control (LoC), and 1% for Scheduled Castes.
The Regulation specifies that Section 5 of the Jammu & Kashmir Reservation Act will not apply to Economically Weaker Sections, and filling vacancies for these sections will follow prescribed procedures.
Section 5 of the J&K Reservation Act pertains to filling vacancies in reserved categories during recruitment. According to the provisions for J&K, if there are not enough candidates from a reserved category during recruitment, the posts will remain vacant and will be carried over to the next recruitment cycle.
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It also states that reserved vacancies unfilled for over three years will be considered de-reserved.
Additionally, the President has promulgated,
“The Ladakh Civil Services Decentralisation and Recruitment Regulations- 2025,”
This defines domicile eligibility for jobs in the UT.
These Regulations apply to all gazetted and non-gazetted posts in any department or service under the administration or a company controlled by it. According to the notification from the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA), these Regulations will govern appointments to any positions under the Union Territory or local authorities (excluding the Cantonment Board).
Individuals who have lived in the region for at least 15 years or studied there for a minimum of seven years and taken their Class 10 or 12 exams will qualify as domiciles.
Moreover, children of central government officials, employees of public sector undertakings, autonomous bodies of the central government, public sector banks, officials of central universities, and recognized research institutions who have served in Ladakh for a total of ten years will also be eligible for jobs.
The Regulations further state that the spouse of a domicile of Ladakh will also be considered a domicile.
The MHA has also notified,
“The Ladakh Civil Services Decentralization and Recruitment, Grant of Domicile Certificate (Procedure) Rules, 2025,”
This outlines five categories eligible for domicile status in the Union Territory.
Under the new rules, individuals holding a Ladakh Resident Certificate (LRC) or those eligible for it will qualify as domiciles, along with their children. Children of Ladakh residents who live outside the region for employment or business reasons will also be eligible.
According to the Rules, those who have resided in Ladakh for at least 15 years since October 31, 2019, will be granted domicile certificates, and their children will also receive domicile benefits. Additionally, those who have studied in Ladakh for seven years and taken their Class 10 or 12 exams from October 31, 2019, onward will qualify.
Furthermore, children of central government officials who have served in Ladakh for ten years since its designation as a Union Territory on October 31, 2019, will be eligible to apply for jobs in the region (KNO).
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