Private Reservations: Can Karnataka Succeed Where Haryana Failed?

Reservation is a sensitive topic in the country. Reservation was introduced in the Constitution to help people who were denied facilities and opportunities. We often see pro and anti-debates on the topic. Usually, the reservations apply in government institutions be it jobs or education.

Now everyone is talking about the decision of a state government to implement reservations for the locals and this applies to private entities too. While this helps the locals big time it would have a negative impact too.

The Siddaramaiah-led Karnataka government approved a bill that talks about reservation for Kannadigas in the private sector. In terms of management posts locals would get 50 percent posts while they would get 75 percent posts in non-management positions. This can be seen as a sensational decision in many ways.

One is that the locals would be the biggest beneficiaries of this move. If there are no qualified locals for the jobs then the locals should be trained in this. Firms and companies that don't follow this would attract fines.

This is not the first time a state government has come up with such a decision. Earlier Haryana came up with a similar one. However, the decision attracted many questions. The issue even reached the Courts and the decision is dubbed as a failed one.

Now a big debate is going on whether Karnataka can succeed where Haryana failed in the reservation aspect. IT is the main sector of Karnataka and Bangalore is dubbed as "Silicon Valley of India. The decision the government had taken might have a negative impact is what a section of people say.

Private entities run in a way that they appoint people in jobs based on their skills and the company's needs. They even bring employees from other states if they are skilled. This is the beauty of the private sector as people from one place would work in other places.

However, the government imposing the rule on the private sector raised many objections and there is an opinion that the IT companies might move to other favourable places. If this happens then it would be a blunder for the Siddaramaiah government. Over the decades the IT sector has been booming no matter who is in power. If the sector gets affected then the Congress party has to carry the scar all the time.

Highlighting all the aspects, a few observers say that the government should have second thoughts on it or else the situation would be problematic.