Constitution of India, 1949
16. Equality of opportunity in matters of public
employment.-
(1) There shall be equality of opportunity for
all citizens in matters relating to employment or appointment to any office
under the State.
(2) No citizen shall, on grounds only of
religion, race, caste, sex, descent, place of birth, residence or any of them,
be ineligible for, or discriminated against in respect or, any employment or
office under the State.
(3) Nothing in this article shall prevent
Parliament from making any law prescribing, in regard to a class or classes of
employment or appointment to an office under the Government of, or any local or
other authority within, a State or Union territory, any requirement as to
residence within that State or Union territory] prior to such employment or
appointment.
(4) Nothing in this article shall prevent the
State from making any provision for the reservation of appointments or posts in
favor of any backward class of citizens which, in the opinion of the State, is
not adequately represented in the services under the State.
(5) Nothing in this article shall affect the
operation of any law which provides that the incumbent of an office in
connection with the affairs of any religious or denominational institution or
any member of the governing body thereof shall be a person professing a
particular religion or belonging to a particular denomination.