NEW DELHI: Biocon Ltd Chairperson Kiran Mazumdar-Shaw on Wednesday said highly skilled recruitment must be exempted from the Karnataka government's decision mandating reservation for Kannadigas in private firms.

She said the job reservation for locals must not affect the state's leading position in the technology sector.

In a post on social media platform X, she wrote, "As a tech hub we need skilled talent and whilst the aim is to provide jobs for locals we must not affect our leading position in technology by this move." Mazumdar-Shaw further said, "There must be caveats that exempt highly skilled recruitment from this policy."

She was reacting to a post on the platform regarding the Karnataka Cabinet clearing a Bill that made industries, factories and other establishments mandatory to appoint local candidates in 50 per cent of management positions and 75 per cent in non-management positions.

The Karnataka State Employment of Local Candidates in the Industries, Factories and Other Establishments Bill, 2024 was approved by the state cabinet on Monday.