State discretion under article 16(4) in defining reservation standards

Article 16(4) of the Constitution of India is an enabling provision that vests complete discretion in the State to formulate policies regarding reservations, concessions, exemptions, and relaxations in public employment. The State possesses the administrative authority to attach conditions to concessions extended to backward classes, including stipulating that candidates taking benefit of relaxed standards shall be restricted exclusively to reserved vacancies. Granting concessions at initial screening stages is an exercise of affirmative action under Article 16(4), and the State retains full competence to specify that such concessions preclude candidates from competing for open category cadre allotments. (Union of India v. G. Kiran & Ors. | 2026 INSC 15)