25 percent increase in college seats to enable quota for economically weak

In a bid to accommodate 10 per cent reservation for economically weaker section (EWS) in educational institutions, Union Minister for Human Resource Development Prakash Javadekar on Tuesday said that around 25 per cent college seats will be increased in higher educational institutions and universities across the country.

“The modalities are being worked out and within a week’s time we will have the exact number of seats that will be added. The operation manuals about how to implement the quota will be issued soon,” Prakash Javadekar was quoted as saying.

“While implementing this, we will ensure that reservation for SCs, STs and OBCs does not get affected. Hence, there will be more seats,” he added.

The extension of the reservation system is likely to put additional pressure on private institutions as they have to comply with government norms in order to get legal recognition. The rule requires private and government colleges to make infrastructural arrangements to induct poor students from castes, such as Brahmins, Rajputs and Chettiars.

As of now, the reservation was not mandatory under the government law but was provided in many private institutions.

According to a PTI report, the HRD Ministry said that it will implement 10 per cent reservation for economically weaker section of the general category from the 2019 academic session and increase around 25 per cent seats in higher educational institutions and universities across the country.

“This quota will be implemented in the 40,000 colleges and about 900 universities in the country,” Javadekar said.

The minister, however, did not specify the number of seats which will be added.

“Under the 124th Constitutional amendment, the HRD Ministry has decided that from this year itself the quota for EWS category will be applicable. While implementing this, we will ensure that reservation for SCs, STs and OBCs does not get affected. Hence, there will be more seats,” Javadekar told reporters Tuesday.

In a major announcement in run up to Lok Sabha election, Prime Minister Narendra Modi had introduced 10 per cent reservation for economically weaker upper castes last week.

Source: businesstoday