Implementing another of its poll promises, the Punjab Government on Wednesday announced increase in reservation of the OBCs in educational institutions from five to 10 percent.
The reservation quota for members of the backward classes has also been similarly enhanced in technical and professional institutions in the State, said an official spokesperson.
The enhancement in quota comes into immediate effect as the Welfare Department has already issued a notification to this effect.
The move is aimed at upliftment of the dalits and other backward classes, which have been suffered extreme suppression and victimization in the past 10 years of the SAD-BJP misrule, the spokesperson said.
The Capt Amarinder Government had, in its election manifesto, promised several measures for the uplift of the OBCs or dalits, including reservation in educational institutions and jobs.
Spokesperson, however, clarified that the decision does not impact the reservation quota or percentage for scheduled castes or scheduled tribes, which remains unchanged at 25 percent. Punjab Government had, in March 1964, notified reservation quota of 20 percent and two percent seats for the members of SC, ST and backward classes in education, technical and professional institutions.
These norms were revised in 1974, when the state government enhanced the quota by fice percent, taking it to 25 percent in case of members of SC, and to five percent in case of members of backward classes.