The SC, ST and Minorities’ Joint Action Committee, Odisha on Wednesday hailed the hike in the reservation of seats for ST and SC students in all the Government-run higher education institutions and at the same time urged the Government to increase the quota in the job sector.
“The existing quota in the job sector is based on the 2001 Census. The Government should immediately hike the reservation for SC, ST and Minorities in the job sector as per the 2011 Census,” said Abhiram Mallick of the committee.
He said that with the hike in reservation of seats in education institutions, nearly 1.80 crore SC and ST people get justice. Except Odisha, almost all the State have the reservation facility as per the latest census. However, the Odisha Government implemented it lately.
He added that out of the total 4.8 lakh students who had appeared at the annual HSC examination in 2014, nearly 1.8 lakh belonged to he SC and ST category. Due to a 20-per cent reservation facility, 50,000 to 60,000 SC, ST students were deprived of getting admissions in medical, engineering, MBA and many other courses.
Coming down heavily on the leaders who are opposing the quota hike, Mallick said, “As per the Constitution, the SC and ST people have the right of equal participation in the study and job sectors. As their population is rising, their reservation should be hiked.”