The Supreme Court on Wednesday dismissed a petition the NDA government had filed seeking a review of a ruling that had upheld a judgment of Allahabad High Court favouring department-wise implementation of reservation in faculty posts in universities and colleges.

“We have gone through the review petitions and do not find any error apparent on record to justify interference in review jurisdiction. These review petitions are, therefore, dismissed,” the order said.

Academics and experts said the order, from a division bench of Justices U.U. Lalit and Indira Banerjee, would put pressure on the government to bring in an ordinance to undo the reservation rule that would treat each department — and not the institute — as a unit.

The department-wise reservation, through a 13-point roster system, would reduce the proportionate representation of candidates from socially disadvantaged sections like OBCs, Dalits and tribal people.

HRD minister Prakash Javadekar had assured the Lok Sabha earlier this month than an ordinance would be promulgated if the review petition was rejected.