Ladakh Gives Sportspersons 4 Per Cent Quota In Government Jobs. Who Qualifies
The 4% horizontal reservation will apply to direct recruitment to Group C non-gazetted posts under the Ladakh administration. International and national-level athletes, Khelo India medallists and other eligible sportspersons will be covered.
The 4% horizontal reservation will apply to direct recruitment to Group C non-gazetted posts under the Ladakh administration. International and national-level athletes, Khelo India medallists and other eligible sportspersons will be covered. A government job quota for athletes. A separate sports merit list. And the highest weightage for international medal winners. Ladakh has announced a major push for its young sportspersons, approving 4% horizontal reservation for "Outstanding Sportspersons" in direct recruitment to Group C non-gazetted government posts.
Lieutenant Governor Vinai Kumar Saxena has cleared the reservation under the new Ladakh Sports Policy, 2026, with the administration saying the move is aimed at ensuring talented youngsters do not have to give up sports over concerns about money or future employment.
The Ladakh administration said it is the first and only Union Territory in the country to provide a fixed 4% reservation for sportspersons in government jobs. Other states and Union Territories have sports quotas or incentives, it said, but do not have a similar specified 4% reservation.
The administration has now notified the Union Territory of Ladakh Outstanding Sportspersons (Horizontal Reservation in Direct Recruitment to Group 'C' Non-Gazetted Posts) Rules, 2026.
The reservation does not mean sportspersons can bypass the regular recruitment process. Candidates will still have to fulfil the eligibility criteria for the post, including clearing the prescribed recruitment examination.
Who Will Qualify For The 4% Sports Quota?
Sportspersons who have represented a state or the country in recognised national or international competitions will be eligible under the new rules.
The list also includes medal winners at Senior and Junior National Championships.
Eligible medal winners from the Khelo India Youth Games, Khelo India Winter Games, Khelo India Para Games and Khelo India University Games will also come under the quota.
Sportspersons who have represented their universities in recognised Inter-University competitions have been included as well. Eligible chess achievers will also be covered under the prescribed rules.
But all sporting achievements will not be treated equally.
An international medal-winning performance will carry the highest weightage, followed by achievements at Senior National Championships and National Games, Junior National Championships, Inter-University and Khelo India University Games, and Khelo India Youth, Winter and Para Games.
At every level, a medal winner will rank higher than someone who has only represented a team or participated without winning a medal or securing a position.
A separate Sports Merit List will be prepared for eligible candidates on the basis of their sporting achievements.
And winning several medals will not automatically mean more points.
If a candidate has multiple sporting achievements, only the highest achievement will be counted for the Sports Merit List. There will be no additional weightage merely for winning multiple medals or securing multiple positions.
What Does 'Horizontal Reservation' Mean?
The 4% quota will operate horizontally across the existing reservation categories.
In simple terms, a sportsperson selected under the quota will be adjusted against the social category to which he or she belongs.
So, for instance, a candidate belonging to a Scheduled Caste or Scheduled Tribe and selected under the sports quota will continue to be counted within that vertical reservation category.
The quota will apply to direct recruitment to Group C posts under the Ladakh administration, except for posts that may be specifically excluded through a separate notification.
The rules also lay down a verification process for sporting certificates and achievements submitted by candidates.
The Department of Youth Services and Sports will set up a three-member committee to assist the recruiting agency or appointing authority in checking whether the certificates are genuine and whether the competition and sporting achievement claimed by a candidate are recognised and valid.
"No talented youth in Ladakh" should have to give up sporting aspirations because of concerns over financial support or future employment, Mr Saxena said.
"The 4% reservation for sportspersons in government jobs is a long-term commitment to our youth for an institutional support system to excel in the field of sports," the Lieutenant Governor said.
He said the administration was working on an ecosystem that combines government job opportunities, scholarships, cash incentives, modern infrastructure and scientific coaching so that sporting talent can be recognised and nurtured without putting a financial burden on families.
The reservation flows from the Ladakh Sports Policy, 2026, approved on August 1, which seeks to offer financial support, incentives and career opportunities to athletes.