Reservation of vacancies in posts and services

(1) Unless otherwise provided in this Act, there shall be reserved vacancies in posts and services in every establishment for the persons belonging to Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes and Other Backward Classes at the stage of direct recruitment. (2) The reservation for the categories mentioned in sub-section (1) shall be at the following percentage: (a) Scheduled Castes: 16 percent; (b) Scheduled Tribes: 20 percent; (c) Other Backward Classes: 14 percent. (3) The State Government may, by notification, increase or decrease the percentage of reservation specified in sub-section (2) in accordance with the population of the respective category in the State. (4) Notwithstanding anything contained in sub-section (2), if in the public interest, it is necessary to reserve less than the percentage specified, it may be done so by the State Government for reasons to be recorded in writing.