Ministry sets OBC quota ball rolling

Mon, Apr 21 01:10 AM

THE HRD Ministry on Sunday issued directives to all the central government higher education institutions to reserve seats for OBCs from the next academic year in a staggered manner, as per the Oversight Committee's road map. The committee had recommended different schedules for the implementation of 27 per cent OBC quota within three years.

The creamy layer, however, will be kept out of it. The government directive has paved the way for the IIMs to initiate the admission process.

The IITs have already announced that from next year they will implement OBC quota at a rate of nine per cent every year in the existing institutes and 27 per cent at one go in the three new institutes. The institutes will clearly specify the cut-off marks for OBCs so that its high standard of education is maintained.

The HRD ministry's directive will be applicable in all the Central educational institutions except minority-run institutions, and all courses except the higher level specialised ones. The quota will not apply to institutes of strategic importance specified in the Central Education Institutions (Reservation in Admissions) Act, 2007.

The ministry's order comes after the Cabinet Committee on Political Affairs decided to exclude the creamy layer from the ambit of 27 per cent OBC reservation as per the ministry of Personnel's 2004 notification on the creamy layer. The directive clearly states that the creamy layer will have to be excluded as per the 2004 notification and the institutions will have to admit OBC students as per the list of the National Commission for Backward Classes.

The directive, that implements Supreme Court order, has slammed the stiff resistance put up by UPA allies DMK, PMK and RJD on the creamy layer issue. PMK leaders had on Friday, met the Prime Minister seeking review of the issue in the apex court.

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