(1) Unless otherwise provided by or under this Act, the posts reserved for the Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes, De-notified Tribes (Vimukta Jatis), Nomadic Tribes, Special Backward Category and Other Backward Classes shall not be filled in by the candidates not belonging to that caste, tribe, category or class for which the posts are reserved.
(2) Subject to other provisions of this Act, there shall be posts reserved for the persons belonging to the Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes, De-notified Tribes (Vimukta Jatis), Nomadic Tribes, Special Backward Category and Other Backward Classes, at the stage of direct recruitment in public services and posts specified under clause (j) of section 2, as provided below :-
Description of Caste/Tribe/ Category/Class Percentage of vacancies or seats to be reserved (1) Scheduled Castes 13 per cent. (2) Scheduled Tribes 7 per cent. (3) De-notified Tribes (A) 3 per cent. (4) Nomadic Tribes (B) 2.5 per cent. (5) Nomadic Tribes (C) 3.5 per cent. (6) Nomadic Tribes (D) 2 per cent. (7) Special Backward Category 2 per cent. (8) Other Backward Classes 19 per cent. Total 52 per cent :
Provided that, Government may, by an order in the Official Gazette, provide that the percentage of reservation for Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes, De-notified Tribes (Vimukta Jatis), Nomadic Tribes, Special Backward Categories and Other Backward Classes, in all posts, shall be on the basis of latest census record of population of the,-
(i) State, in the case of State cadre posts, and
(ii) concerned district, in the case of district cadre posts :
Provided further that, the principle of "Creamy Layer" shall be applicable to all categories mentioned above except Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes.
Explanation I.- For the purposes of this sub-section, the expressions "De-notified Tribes (A)", "Nomadic Tribes (B)", "Nomadic Tribes (C)" and "Nomadic Tribes (D)" shall mean such Tribes or sub-Tribes, declared by Government, by general or special orders issued in this behalf, from time to time, to be "the De-notified Tribes (A)", "Nomadic Tribes (B)", "Nomadic Tribes (C)" and "Nomadic Tribes (D)".
Explanation II.- For the purposes of this sub-section, the expression "Creamy Layer" means the persons falling in the category of "Creamy Layer" as declared by Government in the Social Justice, Cultural Affairs and Sports Department by general or special orders issued in this behalf, from time to time:
Provided also that, if on the date of coming into force of this Act, if any additional reservation is in force for the Scheduled Tribes in Thane, **Nashik, Dhule, Nandurbar, Raigad, Yavatmal, Chandrapur and Gadchiroli districts for direct recruitment in Groups C and D posts, under any Government orders, such reservation shall continue to be in force till such orders are modified or revoked.
[Provided also that, on the date preceding the date of formation of the Palghar District, that is preceding the 1 August 2014, the reservation including additional reservation for the Scheduled Tribes which was in force in the then Thane District for direct recruitment in Group 'C' and Group 'D' posts, under any Government orders, shall continue to be in force with affect from the 1 August 2014 in the Palghar District till such orders are modified or revokes ; and on or after the 1 August 2014, the reservation for direct recruitment in Group 'C' and group 'D' posts in the Thane District existing from the 1 August 2014, after division of the then Thane District, shall be as provided in the Table under this sub-section.]
(3) The reservation specified for the categories mentioned at serial numbers (3) to (6) (both inclusive) in the table under sub-section (2) shall be inter transferable. If suitable candidates for the posts reserved for any of the said categories are not available in the same recruitment year, the posts shall be filled by appointing suitable candidates from any of the other said categories.
(4) In all posts at the divisional level or district level the percentage of reservation occurring in a recruitment year in such categories of Group-C and Group-D posts as may be notified by the Government in this behalf, shall be maintained at such divisional or district level only.