Taking care of identity and rights
On June 3, 2025, the Union Government announced significant changes to the region’s reservation, domicile, language, and governance structure in a clear move to give Ladakh more socio-political autonomy. These changes are the result of negotiations and persistent public pressure from civil society organizations like the Kargil Democratic Alliance (KDA) and the Leh Apex Body (LAB), both of which have been outspoken in calling for constitutional protections since Article 370 was repealed in 2019.
15-Year Residence Status Rule
In order to qualify as domiciles, non-Ladakhis, including children of Central government employees stationed in the Union Territory, will now need to have lived there continuously for 15 years starting on October 31, 2019, the day Ladakh became a separate Union Territory. This is comparable to long-stay domicile provisions found in states such as Uttarakhand and Himachal Pradesh. With a population of only 2.74 lakh (2011 Census), the move is perceived as a protectionist tactic to preserve local jobs and avoid demographic dilution in a sensitive border region.
95% of Government Jobs Are Reserved
The Ladakh Reservation (Amendment) Regulation, 2025, which was approved by President Droupadi Murmu, revised the previous 50% cap set by the Jammu & Kashmir Reservation Act, 2004. With the exception of the quota for Economically Weaker Sections (EWS), up to 95% of government jobs in Ladakh will now be reserved. The suggested distribution, according to people close to the Home Ministry, is as follows: 80% for Scheduled Tribes (STs), 4% for people living close to LoC/LAC, 1% for Scheduled Castes (SCs), and 10% for EWS.
The ST reservation is both legally and demographically justified because the tribal population of Ladakh makes up around 79.61% of the total population. Ladakh’s new quota is among the highest in the nation; by contrast, Meghalaya reserves 85% for SC/STs and Arunachal Pradesh reserves 80% for STs.
Hill Councils and Women Representation
A third of the seats in the Leh and Kargil Autonomous Hill Development Councils (LAHDC) will be set aside for women in a progressive first that will be applied on a rotating basis. In Ladakh’s local governance system, which is currently dominated by men, this could greatly increase the number of women participating in politics.
Only three of the thirty elected members of the LAHDC-Leh were female during the previous term, according to data from the Election Commission. Instead of depending on party nominations, this new rule guarantees structural correction by law.
There are five recognized official languages.
Five Languages
Ladakh will now formally recognize five languages in recognition of the cultural diversity of the area: English, Hindi, Urdu, Bhoti, who are closely related to Tibetan and Purgi (primarily spoken in the Kargil region). This guarantees that cultural and administrative communications are in harmony with the regional language. Despite being widely spoken, Bhoti and Purgi had little official use in the past, when Hindi and English were the de facto languages.
A beginning, not the end
Leaders such as Cherring Dorjay Lakruk, President of the Ladakh Buddhist Association and a member of the high-powered committee in negotiations with the Center, expressed their approval of the move but made it clear that “Statehood remains our foremost demand.” Together, the LAB and KDA have filed memoranda requesting statehood, protections for land, culture, and employment under Article 371; and protections under the Sixth Schedule.
Dr. Mehak Jonjua, Columnist, Author & Media Mentor
