Congress Pushes for SC, ST, OBC Quotas in Private Education

The Congress party urged the government to legislate quotas for SC, ST, and OBC communities in private, non-minority educational institutions. This stems from recommendations by the Parliamentary Standing Committee and Article 15(5), aiming to advance socially and educationally backward classes within most educational setups in India.

The Congress party has called for the introduction of legislation enabling reservations for Scheduled Castes (SC), Scheduled Tribes (ST), and Other Backward Classes (OBC) within private, non-minority educational institutions. This demand is anchored in recommendations by the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Education.

Article 15(5) of the Indian Constitution permits the state to provide special provisions for the advancement of socially and educationally backward classes through reservations in both public and private educational institutions. This excludes minority institutions as defined by Article 30.

Congress's statement references earlier legal validations of this article, including cases such as Pramati Educational and Cultural Trust vs. Union of India, which affirms the constitutionality of such reservations in private education, reinforcing their call for legislative action.

(With inputs from agencies.)