‘Skills Must Come First’: Kiran Mazumdar-Shaw opposes mandatory local job quotas

Biocon chief says forced reservations hurt businesses; debate resurfaces amid Andhra Pradesh’s 75% local hiring policy

Biocon Executive Chairperson Kiran Mazumdar-Shaw has openly criticised state governments imposing mandatory job reservations for local residents, stating that hiring should be driven by skills and merit, not rigid quotas. She warned that such policies could negatively impact businesses if skilled talent is unavailable locally.

Mazumdar-Shaw made the remarks after an X (formerly Twitter) user questioned her silence on local job reservations and shared an RTI document from the Andhra Pradesh government dated 2019. The RTI response stated that 75 per cent of jobs in industries operating in Andhra Pradesh must be reserved for local candidates.

I do not agree with this mandate. I always believe that companies will give preference to locals if they have the required skills. If not, then such policies are detrimental to businesses https://t.co/zXRz3IMDB0

— Kiran Mazumdar-Shaw (@kiranshaw) January 7, 2026

Responding to the post, Mazumdar-Shaw said she does not support such mandates. She clarified that companies naturally prefer hiring locals when they possess the required skills, but forcing industries to meet fixed quotas regardless of skill availability could harm operations. “If skills are missing, such policies become detrimental to businesses,” she said.

Her comments, however, triggered a strong reaction on social media. Several users argued that industries are already allowed to hire eligible local candidates and questioned why employers should still prioritise migrant workers. One user pointed out that the rule does not dilute qualifications for locals and stressed that governments provide incentives to companies in return for 75 per cent employment for natives. They further asked why locals should compete with migrants for jobs within their own states.

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The debate also has a legal backdrop. In 2020, the Andhra Pradesh High Court observed that enforcing a 75 per cent quota for locals in government and private sector jobs could be unconstitutional. The Supreme Court, too, has earlier stated that such a high quota for local workers in industries or factories is illegal.