Date:02/05/2006 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2006/05/02/stories/2006050215720900.htm

National

Quota won't dilute quality of students: Chidambaram

New Delhi: Finance Minister P. Chidambaram on Monday came out in support of Human Resource Development Minister Arjun Singh's controversial proposal for reservation of seats in elite educational institutions, rejecting arguments that it would lead to "dilution" of quality.

He also favoured increasing the number of seats for admission in such institutions. "We should introduce reservations. And, also increase the number of seats, meeting the aspirations of a larger number of people who want quality higher education," he told NDTV.

He rejected the argument that reservations would dilute the quality of either student intake or the quality of students passing out. "It flies in the face of facts in south India for the past 50 years," he added.

PTI