Government approves 10% Quota for economically weaker sections – As the Union Cabinet Monday cleared the 10 per cent quota in government jobs and education for the “economically weaker” sections, meeting a key demand of upper castes. According to the sources, the ministry is working out the number of seats that need to be increased in the educational institutions to be able to implement this quota.
According to the All-India Survey on Higher Education (AISHE), 2017-18, the country has 903 universities, 39,000 colleges and 10,000 institutions where these additional seats may be added. The Ministry of Human Resource Development is working out modalities to implement 10 per cent reservation for the “economically weaker” sections in higher educational institutions, sources have said.
All the universities and educational institutions recognised by the University Grants Commission whether government run or private will have to implement the quota. The initial estimates reflect that around 10 lakh seats will have to be added in institutions across the country, including central universities IITs and IIMs, among other prestigious higher educational institutions, sources say.
The bill is also likely to introduce criteria like an annual income below Rs 8 lakh and not owning more than five acres of agricultural land for those seeking quota benefits.
The proposed reservation will be over and above the existing 50 per cent reservation enjoyed by the scheduled castes, scheduled tribes and the other backward classes, and will take the total reservation to 60 per cent.