Congress dubs govt's move on quota as gimmick

The Congress on Wednesday dismissed the Modi government's move to push for SC/ST reservation in private educational institutions as a “gimmick”.

Senior Congress leader Mallikarjun Kharge claimed that such a provision was already present in the Constitution and all that the Modi government had done was express the intent to implement it.

HRD Minister Prakash Javadekar on Tuesday had announced the government decision to enforce reservation in private higher educational institutions from this year for all categories of students including those belonging to economically weaker sections (EWS) in general category.

Kharge said that the decision would be implemented from July, nearly two months after the Lok Sabha elections are over in May this year.

“This jumla (gimmick) will last only till July,” Kharge said questioning the government's seriousness in helping those belonging to the socially backward classes.

“Had they been serious about helping the poor, they would have implemented reservation in promotion for the SC and ST categories,” the Congress leader said.

He said that the government should have shown its seriousness by clearing the backlog in vacancies for the SC/ST classes over the last four-and-a-half years.

“They (Modi government) are not doing what is within their reach and instead making fresh promises,” Kharge said.

As per the government's existing quota rules for the admission of students in higher educational institutions, 7.5% seats are reserved for the ST students, 15% for SC students and 27% for the OBC students.