Backward classes get seat quotas in top study centres

New Delhi: In a landmark decision, the federal government has decided to implement reservation for Other Backward Classes (OBCs) as per the "Mandal formula" for admission to premier educational institutions.

The Mandal Commission report, based on which 27 per cent of federal jobs were reserved for OBCs more than a decade back, will now be made applicable to Indian Institutes of Technology (IITs), Indian Institute of Management (IIMs), and federal universities.

The move will dramatically increase the quantum of reservation from the current 22.5 per cent to 49.5 per cent.

"The central government has taken the decision to implement reservation for OBCs as per the Mandal formula in all central educational institutions," federal Human Resources Development Minister Arjun Singh said yesterday.

"We are just waiting for the elections to be over," he added.

Singh said the reservation would be implemented from the coming academic session itself, except in cases where the admission process was already under way.

Singh confirmed that reservation for OBCs would be applicable for admission to all central institutions, including IITs and IIMs.

When asked whether this would extend to all Central universities, including Delhi University, the minister replied in the affirmative.

He said implementing the reservation in state government institutions would be left to the state governments.

"This is a logical conclusion of the passing of the 104th Amendment Bill by Parliament recently," said Singh.

According to the amendment, a state can make special provisions for advancement of socially and educationally backward classes in educational institutions, including private ones other than minority institutions.