Merit-based SC, ST candidates must get open category jobs in DSC: KVPS

Vijayawada: O Nallappa, State President, and Andra Malyadri, State General Secretary of KVPS, condemned a reported government move to count SC, ST, and OBC candidates who secured merit in the DSC under the reserved quota instead of the open category. They declared that such a move undermines constitutional rights and strikes at the heart of social justice.

Proposal sparks outrage

The KVPS leaders said that, according to government sources, a proposal is being discussed to shift merit-based SC, ST, and OBC candidates into reserved seats. They asserted that this is unconstitutional and deprives genuine SC candidates of their rightful opportunities.

Constitutional and legal grounds

Nallappa and Malyadri reminded that reservations are meant as a protective mechanism for candidates unable to secure positions through merit, as enshrined in:

Article 14 (Right to Equality)
Article 15(4) and Article 16(4) (provisions for socially and educationally backward classes).

They further noted that landmark judgments — including the Indra Sawhney case (1992) and Rajesh Kumar Dhalela vs State of MP (2007) — clearly established that SC/ST candidates who achieve on merit must be placed in the general category, not in reserved seats.

Violation of social justice

The KVPS leaders charged that forcibly pushing merit-based SC/ST candidates into the reserved quota amounts to:

Violation of equal rights under the Constitution.
Disrespect of Supreme Court rulings.
Denial of opportunities for those SC candidates who truly depend on reservations.

“This is an illegal and unjust act that weakens the very spirit of social justice,” they declared.

Chaos in DSC recruitment

O Nallappa and Andhra Malyadri alleged that the government is adding further confusion in DSC recruitment:

Reserved candidates with merit are denied open category seats.
Reserved posts are being diverted to sportspersons, disabled persons, and ex-servicemen.

They said this creates chaos, uncertainty, and mistrust in the recruitment process, calling it a conspiracy against unemployed youth.

Call for immediate action

Concluding with a strong warning, the KVPS leaders demanded that the government withdraw the proposal immediately and guarantee that merit candidates are placed in the open category as per constitutional and judicial norms.

“If the government fails to act, Dalit and tribal organizations will stand shoulder-to-shoulder with DSC candidates in their agitation,” said Nallappa and Malyadri, stressing that protecting social justice is non-negotiable.