Akhilesh Yadav slams BJP, says 'Not Found Suitable' kills reservations

SP chief Akhilesh Yadav accused the BJP of using the 'Not Found Suitable' (NFS) tag to 'kill reservations' in government jobs. He alleged that 'hegemonic forces' are using this to deny jobs and push for backdoor lateral entries.

Samajwadi Party president Akhilesh Yadav on Wednesday questioned the use of "Not Found Suitable" in rejecting the candidates during recruitment in government jobs, accusing the "hegemonic forces" of "killing reservations."

Addressing a press conference in Lucknow, Akhilesh Yadav targeted the BJP and alleged "foul play." The SP chief said, "The hegemonic forces are killing reservations in the job market. They are propagating the deceptive slogan of NFS (Not Found Suitable), and are busy settling people of similar ideology in jobs through backdoor lateral entry. The BJP is engaging in foul play. BJP wants to win this century-long fight against inequality by unfair means. It is even trying to influence the third umpire, the judiciary. They don't want equality."

Samajwadi Party MP Virendra Singh also alleged that reservations were being "stolen" using 'not found suitable' phrase. Singh told ANI, "By enforcing the NFS, reservations are being stolen. This has created a strong mood of agitation in society and awakened people to the need to protect the reservation. Public sentiment is turning towards the Samajwadi Party, with the belief that only we can stop this exploitation."

Action Demanded Over BHU Exam Question

Addressing a row over an exam question in the Banaras Hindu University (BHU), reportedly on 'Brahmanical patriarchy', Samajwadi Party MP Sanatan Pandey demanded that the state government take action. Pandey said, "By ordering inquiries, the government is trying to hide its failures. If such questions arise, the government should take direct action -- whether against the Vice-Chancellor or others involved. Exam papers are not prepared in a single day; they are made in advance, and the Vice-Chancellor should have been aware."

Parliamentary Committee Highlights Concerns on NFS

Earlier in March 2026, the Parliamentary Committee for Welfare of Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes, in a report, expressed concern over eight NFS SC/ST candidates during the last three years at the University of Hyderabad. The committee disapproved the continued use of NFS in faculty recruitment as it is demoting factor toward SC/ST candidates.

The Committee are of the view that this tag is often misapplied to deny appointments even when candidates meet all the required standards set for the post, thereby violating the constitutional mandate of fair and due representation of SCs and STs in services. (ANI)

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