The Congress-led Karnataka government has paused the private job quota bill for locals after it received severe backlash from the industry.
The development comes hours after the government passed the bill on Wednesday mandating reservations for locals in management and non-management jobs in the southern state.
The government will likely hold wider consultation with stakeholders and bring in a new draft later.
Chief Minister Siddaramaiah in a post on X said, “The bill approved by the cabinet to provide reservation for Kannadigas in private sector organizations, industries and enterprises has been temporarily put on hold. This will be revisited and decided in the coming days.”
The Karnataka State Employment of Local Candidates in the Industries, Factories and Other Establishments Bill, 2024 proposed 50 per cent of management jobs and 75 per cent of non-management jobs in private companies reserved for locals.
Earlier today, the National Association of Software and Service Companies published a statement on the Karnataka State Employment of Local Industries Factories Establishment Act Bill, 2024. The body expressed “serious concern” about the provisions of the act and demanded scrapping the bill providing reservations to locals.
Biocon Managing Director Kiran Mazumdar Shaw said, “As a tech hub we need skilled talent and whilst the aim is to provide jobs for locals we must not affect our leading position in technology by this move. There must be caveats that exempt highly skilled recruitment from this policy.”
ASSOCHAM co-chairman R K Misra said on ‘X’, “Another genius move from Govt of Karnataka. Mandate LOCAL RESERVATION & APPOINT GOVT OFFICER IN EVERY COMPANY to monitor. This will scare Indian IT & GCCs. Short sighted.”
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Karnataka govt puts private job quota bill on hold after facing backlash
