Supreme Court Rules Reserved Candidates Scoring Above General Cut-Off Qualify for Unreserved Seats

The Supreme Court ruled that reserved category candidates (SC, ST, OBC) who score above the general category cut-off must be counted against unreserved seats, reaffirming that the unreserved category is an open merit pool. This decision overturned a 2020 Kerala High Court ruling favoring exclusion of such candidates from general seats. The court emphasized this 'Merit Induced Shift' aligns with Articles 14 and 16, ensuring equality and preserving reserved quotas for other eligible candidates.