Classify OBCs as per affluence so that deserving get more space: Parliament panel

Says ‘those who have benefited from reservation should yield space’, calls for an ‘immediate’ caste/community survey to be included in the Census

The parliamentary standing committee on education is set to recommend a survey of Backward Castes in order to ascertain the “relative backwardness of BCs,” and subsequently ensure that the benefits of reservation go to the “genuinely deserving, who would be handicapped without it.”

This and several other suggestions of far-reaching consequences are likely to be part of the committee’s report, a draft of which was accessed by The Sunday Express, on the pending bill for reservation in Central educational institutions. The report is scheduled to be submitted to Parliament during its winter session starting November 22.

The recommended categorisation of backward castes does not amount to separating the creamy layer. “Creamy layer is not required at this point of time,” the report said. “However, the committee recommends the categorization of BCs into various categories.”

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Observing that there is “major limitation on historical data about the socio-economic position of OBCs,” the committee said a “comprehensive survey of population to bring out the social, educational and economic profile of each caste/community,” is required. The report says one such survey should be done immediately and should be part of the Census.

The report says after categorising the castes, those who have benefited from the reservation should yield space for those who have not, to make reservation policy “meaningful and effective.” The committee says the National Commission For Backward Classes, the NSSO and the DG of Census operations could cooperate to do this survey.

The standing committee rejected the provision in the draft bill that allowed elite super-specialty research centres to be outside the purview of reservation. The draft bill had an annexure of such excluded institutions. Observing that the committee did not find “sufficient reasons to exclude such institutions,” it “strongly advocates reservation” in them.

The report said reserved category students who clear through open competition cannot be counted against their respective quotas.

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The committee has also called for the inclusion in the bill, an effective “monitoring and reviewing authority for implementation,” of these provisions, “without affecting the autonomy of the institutions.”

Minority question

There is no finality yet on what the Committee is set to say on the most sensitive matter, of blanket exemption of all minority institutions from reservation. A large majority of the standing committee is of the opinion that the OBCs and Dalits within the particular minority committee should get quotas in the institutions run by the community. If this suggestion becomes part of the final report, then Christian, Muslim or any other minority institutions will have to give quotas for SC and OBCs amongst them.