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Leh : With a clear focus on securing the future of young sportspersons and encouraging more youth in Ladakh to take up sports as a career, Lieutenant Governor Shri Vinai Kumar Saxena has accorded approval for 4% horizontal reservation for “Outstanding Sportspersons” in direct recruitment to Group ‘C’ (Non-Gazetted) posts under the Administration of the Union Territory of Ladakh.
With this, Ladakh becomes the first and the only UT in the country to provide a fixed 4% reservation for sportspersons in government jobs. While other states/UTs do provide reservation/incentives under sports quota, they do not provide any statutory/specified reservation for the same.
Pursuant to the approval, the Administration has notified the Union Territory of Ladakh Outstanding Sportspersons (Horizontal Reservation in Direct Recruitment to Group ‘C’ non-gazetted Posts) Rules, 2026, providing a structured framework for extending the benefit of reservation to meritorious sportspersons, upon fulfilling all eligibility criteria including recruitment examination.
The rules have been framed in pursuance of Clause 5.6 of the landmark Ladakh Sports Policy, 2026, approved by L-G Shri Saxena on August 1, with the aim to nurture sporting excellence through assured financial support and incentives.
The 4% reservation will apply horizontally across all vertical reservation categories. Horizontal reservation refers to the equal opportunity provided to all categories of beneficiaries such as women, SC/ST/the transgender community, individuals with disabilities, etc., cutting through the vertical categories. This implies that a candidate selected against the sports reservation will be adjusted against the vertical social category to which he or she belongs. The reservation will apply to direct recruitment to all Group ‘C’ posts under the Administration of UT Ladakh, except posts that may be specifically excluded by the Administration through notification.
The reservation framework places greater weight on higher-level sporting achievements and medal-winning performances. A separate Sports Merit List will be prepared for eligible candidates, with inter-se merit determined according to the level of competition and distinction achieved.
Under the prescribed scoring matrix, an international medal-winning performance carries the highest weightage, followed by Senior National Championships/National Games, Junior National Championships, Inter-University/Khelo India University Games, and Khelo India Youth Games, Khelo India Winter Games and Khelo India Para Games. At every level, medal winners will rank higher than candidates with mere representation without a medal or position.
The rules also ensure transparency and verification in the selection process. The Department of Youth Services and Sports will constitute a three-member committee to assist the recruiting agency or appointing authority in examining the genuineness, recognition status and validity of certificates, competitions and sporting achievements submitted by candidates.
The Sports Merit List will be based solely on sporting achievements. If a candidate has more than one sporting achievement, only the highest achievement will be taken into account, with no additional weightage for winning multiple medals or securing multiple positions.
