'Shame': PhonePe CEO Sameer Nigam on Karnataka's private sector quota bill

PhonePe CEO questioned the bill's fairness, asking if his Karnataka-raised children do not deserve jobs in their home city despite his contributions to employment across the country

Sameer Nigam, the chief executive and co-founder of PhonePe, has voiced strong opposition to the Karnataka government’s proposed private jobs quota bill, which seeks to reserve a substantial portion of private sector jobs for locals.
 

In a post on X, Nigam, who has created over 25,000 jobs across India through his ventures, described the bill as unfair to individuals like him who have lived in various states due to their parents’ employment. 

“I am 46 years old. Never lived in a state for 15+ years. My father worked in the Indian Navy. Got posted all over the country,” he wrote.
 

 

He further questioned Bill’s fairness, pondering whether his children, who have grown up in Karnataka, do not deserve jobs in their home city despite his contributions to employment nationwide. 

‘Shame’, he added emphatically.
 

Kiran Mazumdar-Shaw, the founder of Biocon, also expressed her disapproval of the proposal to reserve private jobs for local hires in Karnataka, which is home to the nation's information technology hub, Bengaluru.

Taking to her official X account, Shaw stated that highly skilled recruitment should be exempted from the government's decision mandating reservation for Kannadigas in private firms. She argued that the job reservation for locals must not compromise the state’s leading position in the technology sector. 

“As a tech hub, we need skilled talent. While the aim is to provide jobs for locals, we must not affect our leading position in technology by this move,” she wrote. She insisted there must be exceptions that exclude highly skilled recruitment from this policy.
 

Karnataka’s Minister for Information Technology and Biotechnology, Priyank Kharge, responded to Shaw’s post, assuring that “no detrimental rules or laws will be enforced without due consultations with stakeholders”. 

He also highlighted Karnataka’s achievements, such as being the fourth-largest technology cluster in the world, leading the India Innovation Index, and being first in IT service exports. He attributed these successes to the state’s consistent engagement with stakeholders to draft policies that boost investments and create more employment opportunities.

Kharge assured that the government would consult with industries, industry bodies, and thought leaders to ensure a favourable environment for investments and job creation for locals while addressing the needs of the global workforce.

What is the Karnataka job quota bill?
 

The Karnataka State Employment of Local Candidates in the Industries, Factories and Other Establishments Bill, 2024, proposed on July 16, mandates reserving 50 per cent of management-level jobs and 70 per cent of non-management-level jobs for locals. 

State Industries Minister MB Patil said the policy aims to protect the interests of Kannadigas while considering the needs of industries. IT Minister Priyank Kharge added that the Bill’s primary objective is to create more job opportunities for locals.

 

Why is the Karnataka job quota bill being opposed?
 

Industry stakeholders believe the bill could have significant negative impacts on the state’s economy, startups, and IT companies. Industry body National Association of Software and Service Companies (Nasscom) warned that the restrictions could drive startups and IT companies out of the state, leading to a loss of investment and jobs.

Reports suggest the bill could result in a scarcity of talent as companies may struggle to find local candidates with the required skills. Amid the severe backlash, the bill has been put on hold.