The Education Ministry and the University Grants Commission (UGC) clarified on Jan 28 that centrally funded universities will not de-reserve any reserved faculty positions, following a backlash over the UGC's draft guidelines that suggested opening unfilled vacancies for SC, ST, and OBC candidates to general candidates in "rare and exceptional cases".

On December 27, the higher education regulator released draft guidelines for implementing the reservation policy in higher education institutions, requesting public feedback by January 28. This draft, prepared by a four-member committee led by Dr. H S Rana, director of the Institute of Public Administration, included a chapter on the de-reservation of unfilled quota posts for university teachers, officers, and employees.

The chapter stated that while there is a “general ban on de-reservation of reserved vacancies in case of direct recruitment”, in exceptional circumstances it can be done if the university can provide adequate justification for it.

The draft guidelines specify that proposals for de-reservation concerning job positions designated for Group A and Group B posts should be submitted to the Education Ministry, while proposals for Group C and D posts should be forwarded to the Executive Council (the top decision making body) of the university for special permission. The proposal would have to provide information such as the designation, pay scale, name of the service, responsibilities, required qualifications, efforts made to fill the post, and why it cannot be allowed to remain vacant.

Reserved faculty positions are not currently used to recruit general candidates. While the Department of Personnel and Training (DoPT) allows de-reservation in exceptional circumstances only for Group A positions, according to sources, this provision has not been implemented in universities. Unfilled quota positions are re-advertised, and universities conduct special recruitment drives until suitable candidates are found, without opening these positions to the general public.