Sage Sankara says:~ Karma is not competent to remove ignorance.+

Sage Sankara says:~ Karma is not competent to remove ignorance, for it is not opposed to it. It does not matter in what way we characterize ignorance, whether as the absence of knowledge or as doubt or as erroneous knowledge. It is always removable by knowledge, but not by action in any of its forms, for there is no contradiction between ignorance and karma. (Commentary on Brah.3-3-1 )

Sage Sankara also clearly mentions that:-

The path of religion, the theory of karma, the path of yoga, and the path of wisdom were intended for different classes of people. 

The Advaitic wisdom is for the advanced seekers of truth. It deals with the nature of the ultimate truth or the ultimate Reality. It is meant for superior aspirants who have an inner urge to know the truth and it is not for those who are immersed in earthly desires.

Sage Sri Goudpada says: ~ The merciful Veda teaches karma and Upasana to people of lower and middling intellect while Jnana is taught to those of higher intellect.

It means the people who follow religion and worship of Gurus and conceptual God and believe in karma theory are lower and middling intellect. In this modern world, people are sharp enough to understand and assimilate the ultimate truth or Brahman or God in truth. 

Thus, it is high time to discard the lower knowledge and move ahead to realize the ultimate truth, which is Brahman or God in truth. 

Religious people believe the Karma theory is universal. The Karma theory is a religious and yogic fable. 

The Karma theory is a universal theory for those who believe the dualistic illusion as a reality. Karma is a reality only for those who believe the false self (ego or you) as the real 'Self' and the false experience (waking or universe) as a reality. 

The Karma theory is a reality for those who believe that experience, form, time, and space as a reality. Karma theory is a reality for those who believe in an individualized God. 

The Karma theory is a reality for those who believe in the experience of birth, life, death, and rebirth, and the world as a reality. 

The karma theory is a universal theory when karma is limited to waking experience alone.

Sage Sankara:~ Action (karma) cannot destroy ignorance, for it is not in conflict with or opposed to ignorance. Knowledge does verily destroy ignorance as light destroys deep darkness. ~ Atma Bodha

Action/reaction is a theory based on the false ‘‘Self’’. You are the false ‘Self’ within the dualistic illusion (world). Action means karma.

If one accepts the form (you or ego) as the ‘‘Self’’ then the karma theory becomes the universal principle.

If you accept that the ‘‘Self’’ is not you but the ‘‘Self’ is the formless Soul’, then the world in which you exist is a dualistic illusion.

By accepting karma theory, one is accepting the unreal as reality and permanently remains in the clutches of dualistic illusion.

The dualistic illusion is present in the form of the ‘I’. The ‘I’ is present in the form of the mind. The mind is present in the form of the universe.

The universe appears as waking or dream (duality) and disappears as deep sleep (nonduality).

Karma theory is a hindrance in the path of truth because one accepts the false self as the real ‘‘Self’’ and false experience as a reality and he thinks all his actions will yield fruits.

Thus, he will remain permanently in the realm of unreality or ignorance. Without getting rid of ignorance truth realization or Self -realization is an impossibility.:~Santthosh Kumaar