SC/ST quota medical seats in Karnataka see sharp decline after reconfiguration of reservation matrix

Karnataka has seen a decline in medical seats reserved for Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes after reverting to earlier reservation percentages (15% for SCs, 3% for STs) from increased quotas (17% for SCs, 7% for STs). This change follows ongoing cases in the High Court of Karnataka challenging the increased reservation, which breached the Supreme Court's 50% reservation cap. The state government, which had initially increased quotas based on the H.N. Nagamohan Das Commission's recommendations, is awaiting the High Court's ruling and has requested the Centre to include the enhanced reservation in the 9th Schedule of the Constitution for constitutional protection.