BC workers unite to defend quotas

NEW DELHI, Nov 5: Lakhs of Scheduled Caste and Scheduled Tribe employees of the Central Government, State Governments and Public Sector Und...

NEW DELHI, Nov 5: Lakhs of Scheduled Caste and Scheduled Tribe employees of the Central Government, State Governments and Public Sector Undertakings have formed an All India Confederation of SC/ST organisations to defend their right to reservation in jobs guaranteed as by Constitution.

Addressing a press conference on Wednesday, Ram Raj, Chairman of the Confederation, said even as the country was celebrating 50 years of independence the SC/STs were being systematically deprived of their right to reservation in jobs and promotions through unconstitutional orders issued by the Department of Personnel and Training (DOPT).

For example, an official memorandum issued on January 30, 1997 did away with reservation in promotion on the basis of seniority in contravention of the order of the Supreme Court. Another order, issued on July 2 this year, withdrew the roster-wise promotion of SC/ST candidates.

Story continues below this ad

Moreover, a memo dated August 18 says that reservation in promotion will be restricted to the lowest rung in Class I services which is contrary to the provision in Article 16(4A) of the Constitution that reservation in promotions will prevail in all classes. The order also violates the spirit of the 77th Amendment of the Constitution.

To top it all, Ram Raj pointed out that the DOPT issued another memo on August 29 banning the special recruitment drive to clear backlog in vacancies for SC/ST candidates launched in 1989 with great fanfare.