Lok Sabha Passes Reservation Bill, Aims At Another

The Lok Sabha on Thursday approved a Bill reserving 27 per cent seats for Other Backward Classes (OBC) in Central Government-aided higher educational institutions.HRD Minister Arjun Singh promised that the Government would "very soon" frame a Bill providing for reservation in unaided educational institutions.

The Central Educational Institutions (Reservation in Admission) Bill, 2006, which provides for reservation in government educational institutes, was passed by a voice vote after BJP-sponsored amendments for including minority institutions was rejected.

The Bill, which will reserve 27 per cent seats in all Central government run higher educational institutions, including IITs and IIMs, had ignited protests, debates and deliberations.

K V Thanckabalu (Congress) urged the government to set up a Ministry for OBCs, besides additional budgetary support for welfare schemes for them.

The BJP wanted reservation to be extended to minority institutions and favoured exclusion of certain castes which have progressed after implementation of the Mandal Commission's recommendations.