Date:22/08/2006 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2006/08/22/stories/2006082212540100.htm

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Bill on quota for OBCs this week

Special Correspondent

Cabinet gives approval for Bill

Minister silent on quantum and on "creamy layer"

GoM factored in interim recommendations of Oversight Committee

NEW DELHI: A bill to provide reservation for the Other Backward Classes (OBCs) in all Central educational institutions and deemed to be universities, aided and maintained by the Government, will be introduced in Parliament this week.

This was announced on Monday evening after the Union Cabinet gave its approval to the bill that has been the subject of intense political debate over the past several weeks.

After the two-hour-long meeting, Information and Broadcasting Minister Priyaranjan Dasmunsi, refused to give details to presspersons, maintaining that it was the privilege of Parliament. He did not even specify the quantum of reservation, though the United Progressive Alliance-Left Coordination Committee on May 23 decided that a bill to provide for 27 per cent reservation would be introduced in the monsoon session of Parliament.

Neither did Mr. Dasmunsi answer any questions on inclusion of the ``creamy layer'' within the OBCs in the new reservation policy.

Being a contentious issue, and since the UPA-Left Coordination Committee decision had been silent on the question of "creamy layer," the Human Resource Development Ministry — which drafted the bill — had left the decision on this front to the Cabinet.

While meeting the deadline as far as introduction of the bill is concerned, a Group of Ministers (GoM) — assigned the task of ironing out the rough spots — had favoured a staggered introduction of quota for the OBCs, as the UPA-Left Coordination Committee had decided that any increase in the quota should neither dilute the quality of education nor affect the unreserved category.

This involved a 54 per cent increase in intake by the start of the 2007 academic year.

The GoM factored in the interim recommendations of the Oversight Committee, which is entrusted with the task of preparing a road map for OBC reservation.

A majority of the Central educational institutions had sought a minimum of three years time to implement the 27 per cent quota, given the practical difficulties involved in meeting the infrastructure needs — both physical and faculty requirements — within a year.