BENGALURU: Conceding to pressure mounted by protesting youth, the Karnataka cabinet on Thursday approved filling up of 56,432 vacancies in various government departments, adhering to 50 per cent quota in recruitments. The process will start in 30 days.
“They are all sanctioned posts, with the Finance department giving approval to fill 24,300 posts, and 32,132 in Kalyana Karnataka region, in keeping with Article 371. The Chief Minister has given instructions to all departments to take measures to fill posts,” Law and Parliamentary Affairs Minister HK Patil said, briefing the media after the cabinet meeting.
With the issue acquiring seriousness, the repercussions of delaying recruitment were discussed in the cabinet. It could backfire on the ruling dispensation, with the opposition BJP indicating it would support the protesting youth and make it a big issue, sources said.
With two cases before court, including internal quota for Scheduled Castes, and as the quota cannot go beyond 50 per cent, recruitment will be subject to the court’s decision, he clarified. He said with Governor Thaawarchand Gehlot having given his nod for the Scheduled Castes(Sub-Classification) Bill, the internal quota bill of SCs, it will be incorporated in recruitment and spelt out in the notification.
“There will not be any financial burden as the posts, except for 1,000-odd newly created ones, were existing ones that fell vacant,” Patil said in response to a query, adding that the government will take care of the financial issue.
The cabinet also accepted the report of the high-powered committee on Redressal of Regional Imbalance, headed by Prof M Govinda Rao which has recommended the allocation of Rs 43,914 crore. It will be adopted in the budget, Patil said.
The cabinet discussed the ‘Karnataka Freedom of Choice in Marriage and Prevention and Prohibition of Crimes in the Name of Honour and Tradition Bill, 2026’ known as the ‘Eva Nammava Eva Nammava’ Bill, 2026, but sought the Home department’s opinion before it is presented at the next cabinet meeting for a final decision.
Cabinet nod to upgrade Udupi dist hospital
The cabinet also sought certain information from the Home department with regard to the ‘Karnataka Rohith Vemula (Prevention of Exclusion or Injustice) Right to Education and Dignity Bill’.
OTHER DECISIONS: Construction of a 250-bed district hospital at Kollegal in Chamarajanagar district, and undertake work on a capacity of 100 beds in the first phase, at an estimated cost of Rs 1.48 crore.
* Upgrading Udupi’s 250-bed district hospital at a cost of Rs 150.50 crore.
* Approval of Karnataka Minority Welfare Services (Regulation of Transfer of Teachers and Lecturers) Rules, 2026, for counselling in transfers.
* Setting up computer labs in 854 government high schools and KGBV schools in the state at an estimated cost of Rs 44.29 crore.
* Approval for bylaws to be laid down for Gruhalakshmi Vividoddesha Sahakara Sangha Niyamita.