Karnataka IT hiring practices are under scrutiny after state politician DK Shivakumar warned on October 25, 2026, that the government would act if private institutions were found to have deliberately sidelined Kannadigas in recruitment.

Karnataka IT hiring complaints prompt warning

In a post on X, Shivakumar said the government was taking seriously complaints that Kannada speakers were being denied opportunities at Bengaluru technology companies. He said appropriate action would follow if deliberate discrimination by a private institution was established.

His comments followed a widely shared video in which a young woman alleged that hiring managers at technology firms discriminated against Kannadigas. The warning did not establish that any company had discriminated.

Earlier private-sector quota proposal remains on hold

The comments renewed attention on a Karnataka bill that was put on hold nearly two years earlier after opposition from the technology industry and industry body Nasscom. The proposal sought to reserve 50% of management positions and 75% of non-management jobs for locals across industries, factories and other establishments.

Nasscom had warned that the proposed quotas could damage the state’s investment climate and lead some companies to consider relocating. The industry body said Karnataka accounts for about 25% of India’s technology output and around 30% of its global capability centres.

In December 2025, Siddaramaiah said the government was exploring measures to increase private-sector employment opportunities for Kannadigas. Shivakumar’s latest warning did not announce a revival of the shelved bill.

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