New Delhi, June 3 — In a landmark move aimed at safeguarding the cultural, linguistic, and economic interests of Ladakh, the Central Government on Tuesday introduced a comprehensive set of new policies for the Union Territory. The measures include 85% reservation in government jobs for local residents, one-third reservation for women in the Ladakh Autonomous Hill Development Councils (LAHDCs), and the designation of five official languages for administrative purposes.
The changes, which come into effect immediately, were notified through multiple government circulars. The reforms follow sustained demands from Ladakhi civil society for constitutional safeguards in the wake of the abrogation of Article 370 and the bifurcation of Jammu and Kashmir in August 2019.
Domicile and Employment Provisions
Under the revised domicile policy, individuals who have resided in Ladakh for 15 years, or have studied for seven years and appeared in either Class 10 or 12 examinations within the UT, will be eligible for domicile status. This status will be required for appointment to all posts under the UT administration or any local authority, excluding cantonment boards.
Children of Central Government employees—including those in All India Services, public sector undertakings, statutory bodies, public sector banks, and central universities—who have served in Ladakh for at least 10 years, will also be eligible for domicile.
The reservation for the Economically Weaker Sections (EWS) will continue to remain at 10%.
Women’s Reservation in Councils
The Ladakh Autonomous Hill Development Councils Act, 1997, has been amended to reserve no less than one-third of the total seats in the LAHDCs for women. The reserved seats will be rotated across constituencies, as notified in the official gazette.
Ladakh currently has two functioning autonomous councils: LAHDC-Leh and LAHDC-Kargil.
Official Languages Expanded
The government also announced that English, Hindi, Urdu, Bhoti, and Purgi will be the official languages of Ladakh. English will remain the primary language for official communication, as it was prior to this regulation.
Furthermore, the Administrator of Ladakh has been tasked with strengthening institutional frameworks for the development and promotion of local languages. Special focus will be placed on preserving indigenous languages such as Shina (Dardic), Brokskat (Dardic), Balti, and Ladakhi. Plans are also underway to establish an Academy of Art, Culture and Languages for the region.
Political Context and Regional Development
These policy measures follow a December 2023 assurance by the Centre to fast-track development in Ladakh and address long-standing regional concerns. Subsequently, the Ministry of Home Affairs constituted a High-Powered Committee (HPC) under the chairmanship of Union Minister of State Nityanand Rai. The committee was tasked with proposing protections for Ladakh’s culture, employment, land, and governance structures, given its strategic and geographical significance.
The demand for Union Territory status had persisted in Ladakh for decades and was fulfilled on August 5, 2019. However, the absence of a legislative assembly since then has led to calls for enhanced political representation and constitutional guarantees.
In a significant administrative move in August 2024, the Centre carved out five new districts in Ladakh: Zanskar, Drass, Sham, Nubra, and Changthang. The Union Territory remains under the direct administrative purview of the Ministry of Home Affairs.
Prominent environmentalist and climate activist Sonam Wangchuk also staged an indefinite fast in October 2024 in Delhi to demand constitutional safeguards. This prompted multiple rounds of talks between central officials and Ladakhi representatives in December 2024, January 2025, and most recently on May 27, 2025.
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