OBC reservation in government institutions to be implemented from this year

21 April, 2008

Pro-reservation campaigners have got one more victory in their kitty as Government on Sunday directed all centrally funded educational institutions to implement other backward class reservation from this year. With this move, all Indian Institute of Managements (IIM) and Indian Institute of Technologies (IIT) would have to offer reservation for Other Backward Classes (OBC) from next year itself.

The Human Resource Development ministry has asked the Central Educational Institutions (CIE) after the Supreme Court on April 10 upheld the 27 per cent reservation for OBCs excluding the creamy layer from its ambit. The new government move would help in ending uncertainty over the implementation of Supreme Court verdict from this year itself.

According to government order, all Central Educational institutions other than those exempted in the Act have to implement the 27 per quota for OBCs apart from 15 per cent for SCs and 7.5 per cent for STs from this academic session.

Indian Institute of Managements (IIMs) have put their admission process on hold after the Supreme Court order as they have doubts over the court order. They have been requesting the HRD ministry’s clarifications over the issue.

The IITs have already decided to implement the OBC quota in three years' time, beginning in 2008-09 by reserving nine per cent every year. The ministry order states that all central education institutions have to implement the policy of reservation from the forthcoming academic session itself. However exceptions have been given to those institutions of excellence and research institutions of national and strategic importance specified in the schedule to the CEI Act.

The order clarified that a detailed programme for phasing in the expansion has already been worked out by CEIs and approved by the Empowered Committee for implementing recommendations of the Oversight Committee. It also points out that in view of the "stay orders" of the Supreme Court, the academic session commencing from the calendar year 2008-09 would, for all practical purposes, be the first year of implementation.

However there is pressure on ruling alliance to redefine the creamy layer among other backward communities. But at a meeting of the Cabinet Committee on Political affairs (CCPA) Thursday, has decided to go ahead with the implementation of the court order in its present form, including the exclusion of the creamy layer.