Time to reduce quota in higher education: HC
January 14, 2010: The Indian Express
The Kerala High Court on Wednesday observed that it was time that reservation in higher education and employment was gradually brought down as the socio-economic conditions of SC and ST communities and other backward classes had undergone a “revolutionary¶ change.
These communities must realise that government’s “over indulgence¶ in extending various benefits will only “stunt their growth¶ and time has come to “awaken these communities from the slumber of satiated insouciance¶, the court said.
The observations came while dismissing a petition by the Muslim Jamaat Council which had challenged a government order of September 8, 2008 granting 10-per cent quota in state-run colleges and 7.5 per cent in university departments for Below Poverty Line (BPL) students from forward castes.
The Bench said it could not interfere with the issue, which is a policy matter of the government. “As the reservation for the backward communities has been in vogue for several decades, their socio-economic situation had improved much. Such communities should come forward to compete with forward groups in job sector,¶ the court said. “The higher the competition level, the greater will be the advantage for the people belonging to such backward communities.¶
The Bench observed that the government order had made it clear that its intention was to uplift the BPL segment from among the forward communities. While the SC/ST segments and the OBC enjoy the benefits of reservation, the poor among the forward community get fewer merit seats. Hence, the court does not find anything unconstitutional in the order of the government to give relief to the poor among the upper class, it added.
In Kerala, Hindu Nairs and Christians (except the Latin Catholic) mainly form the forward block, while the Muslims and Ezhava/Thiyya Hindus constitute the backward community. The Nairs have been most vociferous in demanding quota for the economically backward among the forward communities.
