General Category Is Merit-Based, Not Caste-Based: Supreme Court

New Delhi :In a landmark ruling with far-reaching implications for government recruitment and general-category candidates, the Supreme Court has clarified the principles governing reservation and merit-based selection.

The court ruled that the General or Open Category is not caste-based but purely merit-based, and that candidates belonging to reserved categories must be considered for general seats if they meet the general cut-off without availing any concessions.

What the Supreme Court Clarified

The Supreme Court held that all candidates, irrespective of caste or category, are eligible to be considered under the Open or General category. If a candidate belonging to SC, OBC, MBC or EWS secures marks higher than the general cut-off without claiming age relaxation, fee concession, or other relaxations, such a candidate must be included in the general merit list, rather than being confined to the reserved quota.

The court noted that it is not uncommon for cut-off marks in certain reserved categories to be higher than those of the general category. In such circumstances, excluding a candidate who qualifies on general merit merely because they belong to a reserved category would be legally incorrect.

‘The Open Category Is Not Anyone’s Private Domain’

Reiterating established legal principles, the court observed that the terms “general”, “open”, or “unreserved” signify open competition and are not reserved for any particular caste, community, or gender. Citing earlier judgments, including the Indra Sawhney and Saurav Yadav cases, the bench emphasised that merit alone is the sole criterion for inclusion in the open category.

“The only requirement for inclusion in the open category is merit. The candidate’s social category is irrelevant,” the court stated.

‘Double Benefit’ Argument Rejected

The Supreme Court also dismissed the argument that allowing reserved-category candidates into the general list amounts to granting them a “double benefit.” The court clarified that no additional advantage is conferred as long as the candidate has not availed any relaxation. Merely declaring one’s caste in an application form does not automatically entitle a candidate to a reserved seat; it only indicates eligibility for consideration under that category.

Background of the Case

The case arose from a recruitment process conducted by the Rajasthan High Court. In August 2022, the High Court issued a notification for 2,756 posts, including Junior Judicial Assistant and Clerk Grade-II. Following the written examination, results announced in May 2023 revealed that the cut-off marks for SC, OBC, MBC and EWS categories were higher than the general-category cut-off.

Several reserved-category candidates had cleared the general cut-off but failed to meet the higher cut-off prescribed for their respective categories. As a result, they were excluded from the next stage of selection.

High Court and Supreme Court Decisions

These candidates challenged the decision before the Rajasthan High Court, which ruled that the general merit list must be prepared solely on merit, and that candidates qualifying on general standards cannot be pushed into reserved lists. In December 2025, the Supreme Court upheld this ruling and dismissed the appeal filed by the Rajasthan High Court administration.

What the Judgment Means

The ruling reinforces the principle that the General Category is a merit category, not a social category. Any candidate from a reserved group who qualifies on general standards, without availing relaxations, is entitled to a general-category seat. The court clarified that this does not dilute the rights of general-category candidates but instead strengthens the constitutional mandate of merit-based selection.