SC: Reserved Candidates Can Secure Unreserved Seats on Merit, Upholds Equality

• The Supreme Court ruled that reserved category candidates (SC, ST, OBC) can fill unreserved seats if they achieve higher marks than the general category cut-off.
• The 'unreserved' category is an 'open' pool based strictly on merit, not a private quota for the general population, clarified Justices MM Sundresh and Satish Chandra Sharma.
• The judgment stemmed from a 2013 Airports Authority of India (AAI) recruitment case, where the Kerala High Court's earlier decision was overturned.
• Justice Satish Chandra Sharma emphasized that this 'Merit Induced Shift' is mandatory under Article 14 and Article 16 of the Constitution.
• The ruling ensures reserved quota seats remain available for other meritorious candidates within those categories, balancing meritocracy and social justice.

Why It Matters: Supreme Court affirms reserved candidates can claim unreserved seats based on merit, reinforcing constitutional equality.