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Anti-reservation group to challenge SC verdict on quota
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Anindya Mukherjee on 10 April, 2008 10:12:33
 
Youth for Equality (YFE), a students' organisation that has leaded the
anti-reservation campaign in 2007 against the 27 per cent quota for other
backward classes (OBC), says it would challenge the Supreme Court verdict
upholding the quota system.
The YFE now plans to take up its agitation with a fresh perspective. It says
that since the benefit of reservation is meant for socially, educationally and
economically backward classes of the society, a graduate, according to the apex
court's decision, cannot avail the benefits of the OBC reservation.
"Any graduate from the OBC category cannot avail the benefit of the OBC
reservation for higher courses. This is one point which we would take up before
the court," said Kaushal Kant Mishra, a founder member of the group and a doctor
at the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS).
The YFE said it would approach the court to ensure that post-graduate and other
higher educational courses are free from OBC reservation. It maintained that the
apex court decision would severely affect future generations. However, it
welcomed the court's decision to exclude the creamy layer or affluent sections
of the community from the OBC reservation.
"It has only diluted the merit and succumbed to political pressure. Such a
decision would only encourage caste-based politics. We are not against any
caste, but against the lopsided policies of the government," said Mishra.
The Supreme Court on Thursday paved way for implementation of 27 per cent quota
for OBCs in centrally-run educational institutions of higher learning and upheld
the constitutional validity of the Central Educational Institutions (Reservation
in Admission) Bill, 2006.
In the 2007-08 budget, Finance Minister P Chidambaram allocated Rs 26.98
billion for central educational institutions under the HRD ministry providing
for 54 per cent increase in the number of seats.
According to officials, in the budget for 2008-09 an allocation of about Rs
25.22 billion has been made for central universities - IITs, IIMs, NITs etc, for
the purpose.
Following protests from various quarters, an Oversight Committee recommended a
54 per cent expansion (over three years) in central educational institutions so
that the number of general seats is not reduced.
But the Supreme Court stayed the quota implementation last year and asked for
valid data to support the move. Since then, the matter was pending in the
Supreme Court, which on Thursday upheld the law.
Source:IANS