Bihar Assembly Elections 2025: Congress promises reservation in private colleges, universities for Extremely Backward Classes

Rahul Gandhi says this is not just about education, but about the fight for equality and the dignity of the most backward

New Delhi: A day after the I.N.D.I.A. bloc unveiled its manifesto for 'Extremely Backward Classes' (EBCs), top Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Thursday said reservation will now be implemented in private educational institutions while labelling the initiatives a "fight for equality and dignity of the most backward".

On Wednesday, the I.N.D.I.A bloc released a 10-point promise to the EBCs, which included promulgation of a law to prevent atrocities against the EBCs on the lines of the SC/ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act, land for landless and half of the reserved seats in private schools will go to SC/ST/OBC/EBC children, among other things.

"No matter how many lies and diversionary conspiracies the BJP may try, we are determined to ensure that the most backward, Dalits, Adivasis, minorities, and backward communities get their full rights. In Bihar, to empower the most backward communities and increase their participation, we have made concrete promises," he posted on X.

"Education is the biggest means for the progress of these communities, and therefore, there are special commitments to enhance their access in this field — Now, reservation will also be implemented in private colleges and universities; half of the reserved seats in private schools will go to SC/ST/OBC/EBC children; and the unjust provision of labeling candidates as 'Not Found Suitable' in appointments will be abolished," he said.

This is not just about education, but about the fight for equality and the dignity of the most backward. This is the true guarantee of social justice and equal development, he added.

Increase in reservation quantum

The promises are aimed at wooing the EBCs, which constitute 36% of the population in Bihar. Besides a specific legal protection against atrocities, the 'EBC Nyay Sankalp' also promises to increase the existing 20% reservation for the EBCs in panchayats and urban local bodies to 30%.

The I.N.D.I.A. bloc has also promised that the Bill passed by the Bihar Assembly on quota will be sent to the Union government for putting it in Schedule IX of the Constitution to prevent judicial review.

It also promised that the concept of 'Not Found Suitable' (NFS) in recruitment and selection processes will be declared illegal, besides a committee will be formed to deal with matters related to under- or over-inclusion in the EBC list. All landless persons belonging to the EBC, Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes, and OBCs will be provided with land in urban and rural areas.

"Under the Right to Education Act (2010), passed by the UPA government, half of the reserved seats in private schools for enrollment will be earmarked for children belonging to MBCs, OBCs, SCs, and STs. Under Article 15(5) of the Constitution, reservation will be applied for admissions in all private educational institutions of the State. In all government contracts/supply works up to ₹25 crore, a provision of 50% reservation will be made for MBCs, SCs, STs, and OBCs," it said.

A high-powered Reservation Regulatory Authority will be established to oversee reservations, and any change in the caste reservation list will be possible only with the approval of the State Assembly, it added.