
What was Shahu Maharaj’s historic 1902 reservation order?
On July 26, 1902, Shahu Maharaj gave a historic order to reserve 50% government jobs for lower castes in his princely state of Kolhapur. This was one of the earliest instances of reservation for lower castes as a matter of state policy. The order reads, “His Highness orders that, of all the seats that go vacant from the date of this proclamation, 50% should be filled with the backward classes.”