Parliamentary Education Committee suggests 15%, 7.5%, and 27% reservation for SC, ST, and OBC students respectively in private colleges and universities. This will provide equal opportunities to students from backward classes.
Education Update: The Parliamentary Standing Committee on Education has recommended that reservation be implemented in private colleges and universities for Scheduled Caste (SC), Scheduled Tribe (ST), and Other Backward Class (OBC) students. This step has been taken to provide equal opportunities for higher education to those students who are currently unable to gain admission into private institutions.
Why Limited to Government Institutions?
Until now, the provision of reservation has been primarily limited to government colleges and universities. The committee has questioned why reservation cannot be provided in private institutions if it can be provided in government institutions. Presenting the report in Parliament, Committee Chairman Digvijay Singh said that it is necessary to ensure social justice in private higher education institutions as well.
Potential Reservation Percentage
The committee has suggested that Parliament enact a law under which 15% reservation for SC students, 7.5% for ST students, and 27% for OBC students can be implemented in private colleges and universities. This figure is the same as the reservation implemented in government institutions, and implementing it will reduce social inequality.
The Constitution Has Already Paved the Way
The committee's report stated that Article 15(5) of the Constitution was added in 2006 under the 93rd Amendment. This provision empowers the government to implement reservation in private higher education institutions. The Supreme Court upheld its validity in 2014 in the Pramati Educational & Cultural Trust vs. Union of India case. This means that the way for reservation in private institutions is already legally open, but Parliament has not yet passed any such law.
Representation of Backward Classes in Private Institutions
The representation of marginalized communities in the country's top private colleges and universities is very low. According to statistics, the number of SC students is less than 1%, the presence of ST students is about half a percent, and the share of OBC students is limited to about 11%. This makes it clear that social inequality still persists in private institutions.
