Following the reversion to previous reservation quotas for Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes, Karnataka has seen a significant reduction in reserved medical seats for the 2026-2027 academic year.

  • SC reservation reverted from 17% to 15%, and ST from 7% to 3%.
  • ST medical seats dropped drastically from 392 to 182.
  • The legal battle regarding recruitment and reservation is currently before the Karnataka High Court.

Bengaluru: In a significant blow to social equity in medical education, the number of reserved seats for Scheduled Castes (SC) and Scheduled Tribes (ST) in Karnataka's medical colleges has seen a steep decline. This follows the state government's decision to revert to earlier reservation quanta amidst ongoing legal challenges in the Karnataka High Court.

Statistical Breakdown of the Decline

The shift in the reservation matrix has resulted in a noticeable reduction in available opportunities. In the 2025-2026 academic year, out of 5,609 government seats, 953 were reserved for SCs and 392 for STs. However, for the upcoming 2026-2027 cycle, despite a total seat increase to 6,045, the reserved seats have plummeted to 906 for SCs and just 182 for STs.

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Historical Background

The controversy stems from the Karnataka Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes Act, 2022. Based on the recommendations of the H.N. Nagamohan Das Commission, the previous administration had increased reservations to 17% for SCs and 7% for STs to reflect their population proportions. However, this pushed the total reservation beyond the 50% ceiling mandated by the Supreme Court, leading to intense legal scrutiny.

Why This Matters

BozokMedia analysis shows that this reconfiguration creates a massive barrier for marginalized students attempting to enter high-stakes professional courses like medicine. The reduction in seats directly impacts the social mobility of these communities, potentially widening the socio-economic gap in the healthcare sector.

The reduction in seats is an injustice to children from the community seeking higher education opportunities.

Community leaders, including Devaraj T. Katur of the Karnataka Rajya Nayakara Yuva Sene, have criticized the move, arguing that reservation should be based on population. Meanwhile, Minister for Scheduled Tribes Welfare, T. Raghumurthy, stated that the government is awaiting the High Court's ruling and has requested the Centre to include the enhanced reservation in the 9th Schedule of the Constitution for protection.

Did You Know?: The Karnataka government is currently pushing to include enhanced reservations in the 9th Schedule of the Constitution to provide them with constitutional immunity from judicial review.

Frequently Asked Questions

1. Why did the reservation percentage decrease?
The government reverted to the 15% (SC) and 3% (ST) model to address legal concerns regarding the 50% cap set by the Supreme Court.

2. What is the government's current stance?
The government is waiting for the Karnataka High Court's decision on recruitment and reservation matters, expressing hope for a favorable judgment.