Supreme Court Rules Unreserved Seats Open to All

In a landmark ruling reinforcing constitutional equality, the “Supreme Court of India” has clarified that unreserved or ‘general’ category seats in public recruitment are open to all candidates purely on merit, irrespective of social category. The court held that candidates from reserved categories who qualify on general standards must be counted against unreserved seats.

Unreserved Category Defined as Merit-Based Pool

A Bench comprising “M. M. Sundresh” and “Satish Chandra Sharma” emphasised that the unreserved category is not an exclusive quota for the general population. Instead, it is an open pool available to every citizen who meets the prescribed merit criteria. The court ruled that excluding meritorious reserved category candidates from unreserved seats would violate equality principles.

Merit-Induced Shift Explained by the Court

Justice Satish Chandra Sharma, authoring the verdict, explained the concept of “merit-induced shift”. If a Scheduled Caste, Scheduled Tribe, or Other Backward Class candidate qualifies without availing concessions such as age relaxation or fee exemptions, they must be treated as an open category candidate. This ensures that reserved seats remain available for other eligible candidates within those categories.

Case Background and Overturned High Court Ruling

The judgment arose from a dispute linked to a 2013 recruitment drive by the “Airports Authority of India” for Junior Assistant (Fire Service) posts. The authority had filled unreserved vacancies with higher-scoring reserved category candidates. This was challenged by a general category candidate, and the “Kerala High Court” had ruled in favour of the challenger in 2020. The Supreme Court has now set aside that decision, terming it inconsistent with constitutional equality.

Imporatnt Facts for Exams

• Unreserved seats are an open, merit-based category.
• Merit-induced shift is mandated under Articles 14 and 16.
• Reserved candidates qualifying on general standards count as open candidates.
• The ruling arose from an AAI recruitment dispute.

Implications for Public Recruitment Nationwide

The verdict provides clarity to recruitment agencies amid conflicting judicial interpretations. By reaffirming that reservation promotes inclusion without restricting merit, the ruling is expected to influence future central and state-level examinations, ensuring both social justice and meritocracy remain integral to public employment in India.