Accepting the major demands of the people of Ladakh, the Home Ministry on Tuesday announced 85 per cent reservation for the locals in government jobs and a continuous stay of 15 years in the region for eligibility to become a domicile.
The government has also promulgated regulations for official languages of the region and reservation for women in the Hill Development Councils of Kargil and Leh.
The ordinance by President Droupadi Murmu paves the way for 85 per cent reservation for the Scheduled Tribes (ST) in government jobs.
Citizens who have a continuous 15-year stay in the region, beginning 2019, will be considered domiciled, according to a consensus reached at a high-powered committee meeting between civil society leaders and the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) officials on 27 May 2025.
Children of central government employees need to have stayed in Ladakh for a period of ten years to become eligible for a domicile certificate.
The J&K domicile policy notified in 2020 removed the concept of permanent residents stating that anyone “who has resided for 15 years in the UT of J&K or has studied for seven years and appeared in Class 10th /12th examination in an educational institution located in the UT of J&K or who is registered as a migrant by the Relief and Rehabilitation Commissioner (Migrants)” will be considered a domicile.
According to the notification, one-third of the seats will be reserved for women in the Hill Councils.
English, Hindi, Urdu, Bhoti, and Purgi languages will be the official languages of the UT.
However, efforts will also be taken for the promotion of the native languages, Shina (Dardic), Brokskat (Dardic), Balti, and Ladakhi, the notification said.
During the December 3 talks, the MHA had proposed a 95 per cent reservation in government jobs for locals in Ladakh and a one-third reservation for women in hill councils.
The High Powered Committee, led by Minister of State for Home Nityanand Rai, was first constituted in January 2023 to address the concerns of people in Ladakh. The talks broke down in March 2024.
Thereafter in October 2024, climate activist Sonam Wangchuk sat on an indefinite fast in Delhi to draw the government’s attention to their demands, after which the MHA agreed to resume talks with civil society leaders from Ladakh. The next meeting was held on 15 January, and the meeting on 27 May 2025, was the third round of dialogue after the talks resumed. The Ladakh leaders last week also met Home Minister Amit Shah.
People in Ladakh were demanding constitutional safeguards to protect their jobs, language, culture and land after the region was detached from Jammu and Kashmir in 2019 and given the status of a separate union territory after abrogation of Article 370. They were demanding statehood, Sixth Schedule and a separate public service commission.