Why in News?

• The Centre has introduced new regulations for Ladakh to address long-standing concerns of its civil society. The key measures include:
  • Domicile-based job reservation to safeguard employment opportunities for locals.
  • Recognition of local languages to preserve Ladakh’s cultural identity.
  • Clear procedures for civil service recruitment, ensuring transparency and fairness.
• These steps aim to protect Ladakh's land, jobs, and cultural heritage.

What’s in Today’s Article?

• Five Newly Notified Regulations for Ladakh
• Significance of the New Regulations for Ladakh
• key Demands and Concerns in Ladakh
• Limitations of the New Regulations for Ladakh

Five Newly Notified Regulations for Ladakh

• Earlier, Ladakh was governed by adapted J&K laws, such as the J&K Reservation Act, 2004 and Civil Services Decentralization and Recruitment Act, 2010.
• The 2025 regulations mark a clear departure, creating a legal framework tailored specifically for Ladakh.
• Domicile-Based Government Job Reservation
  • Regulation: Ladakh Civil Services Decentralization and Recruitment (Amendment) Regulation, 2025
  • Introduces domicile requirement for government jobs in Ladakh.
  • A domicile is defined as:
    • Resident of Ladakh for 15 years; or
    • Studied for 7 years and appeared in Class 10 or 12 in Ladakh; or
    • Children of Central Government employees serving in Ladakh for 10 years; or
    • Spouses and children of Ladakh domiciles.
• Procedure for Domicile Certification
• Regulation: Ladakh Civil Services Domicile Certificate Rules, 2025
• Specifies application process and documents for obtaining domicile certificates.
• Tehsildar will issue the certificate; Deputy Commissioner is the appellate authority.
• Applications can be submitted online or offline.
• Expanded Reservation in Jobs and Education
  • Regulation: Union Territory of Ladakh Reservation (Amendment) Regulation, 2025
  • Total reservation for SC, ST, OBC, and other backward groups capped at 85%, excluding 10% EWS quota.
  • Reservation extended to professional institutions (e.g., engineering and medical colleges).
  • Earlier quota in education was capped at 50%, now raised to 85%.
• Recognition and Promotion of Local Languages
  • Regulation: Ladakh Official Languages Regulation, 2025
  • Recognizes English, Hindi, Urdu, Bhoti, and Purgi as official languages.
  • Mandates support for Shina, Brokskat, Balti, and Ladakhi for cultural preservation.
• Women’s Reservation in Local Governance
  • Regulation: Ladakh Autonomous Hill Development Councils (Amendment) Regulation, 2025
  • Reserves one-third of seats for women in the Leh and Kargil Hill Development Councils, through rotation.

Significance of the New Regulations for Ladakh

• First Tailored Governance Framework Post-Bifurcation
  • These regulations represent the Centre’s first comprehensive legal and administrative effort specifically designed for Ladakh since its separation from Jammu & Kashmir in 2019.
• Alternative to Sixth Schedule Autonomy
  • Instead of granting Sixth Schedule status, which offers constitutional autonomy, the Centre has chosen to address Ladakh’s demands through executive regulations.
  • This approach allows targeted administrative reforms without amending the Constitution.
• Legal Safeguards for Local Jobs
  • By defining domicile criteria and regulating recruitment, the government has institutionalized job reservation for locals, fulfilling a core demand of Ladakhi civil society and protest movements.
• Recognition of Linguistic Identity
  • Official recognition of Bhoti and Purgi validates the cultural identity of large population groups.
  • Support for Ladakhi, Balti, Shina, and Brokskat signals inclusive cultural preservation beyond dominant languages.
• Cultural Sensitivity in Governance
  • The regulations reflect a sensitive and strategic response to the region’s ethnic, cultural, and political aspirations—acknowledging that governance in Ladakh must be rooted in local identity and inclusion.

Key Demands and Concerns in Ladakh

• Loss of Legislative Autonomy After 2019
  • Post-abrogation of Article 370 and implementation of the Jammu and Kashmir Reorganisation Act, 2019, Ladakh was made a Union Territory without a legislature, unlike Jammu & Kashmir.
  • This shift placed Ladakh under direct central control, raising concerns about self-governance.
• Fear of Cultural and Ecological Erosion
  • Residents feared that, without constitutional safeguards, Ladakh’s tribal identity, fragile environment, and limited resources could be exploited by external economic and demographic forces.
• Demand for Sixth Schedule Status
  • Ladakhi groups strongly demanded inclusion under the Sixth Schedule of the Constitution, which grants tribal-majority regions legislative and financial autonomy via autonomous district councils.
  • The demand is justified by the fact that over 90% of Ladakh’s population belongs to Scheduled Tribes.

Limitations of the New Regulations for Ladakh

• Lack of Constitutional Safeguards
  • The regulations are issued under Article 240, meaning they are executive decisions, not constitutional provisions.
  • Unlike the Sixth Schedule, they do not guarantee permanence and can be amended or revoked unilaterally by the Centre.
• No Protection for Land Ownership
  • There are no restrictions on land purchase by non-domiciles.
  • This omission is critical given Ladakh’s ecological sensitivity and the risks posed by unchecked tourism and infrastructure development.
• Absence of a Legislative Body
  • The Ladakh Autonomous Hill Development Councils (LAHDCs) remain administrative entities, lacking legislative powers.
  • In contrast, the Sixth Schedule provides Autonomous District Councils with authority over land, forests, education, and local customs.
• Cultural Recognition Lacks Implementation Plan
  • Though local languages are officially recognized, there is no roadmap for their use in education, governance, or the judiciary.
  • The move remains symbolic, without tangible cultural or institutional integration.