Supreme Court Rules Reserved Category Candidates Scoring Above General Cutoff Get Unreserved Seats

The Supreme Court ruled that candidates from reserved categories (SC, ST, OBC) who score above the general category cutoff must be counted against unreserved seats, overturning a 2020 Kerala High Court decision. The court emphasized that the unreserved category is an open merit-based pool for all candidates. This principle, termed 'Merit Induced Shift,' aligns with constitutional equality provisions and ensures reserved seats remain available for other meritorious reserved candidates.