Thursday, March 29, 2007

Supreme Court stays the implementation of OBC quotas


Here's the immediate report.

In a major setback to the Centre, the Supreme Court on Thursday stayed the implementation of the 27 per cent quota for Other Backward Classes in elite educational institutions like IITs and IIMs for 2007-08.

A Bench comprising Justice Arijit Pasayat and Justice L.S. Panda however said that the quota for SC/STs could be implemented by the Centre in these educational institutions.

The judges have not closed the door on quotas ("The Bench said the State is empowered to enact affirmative action to help the backward classes, but it should not be unduly adverse to those who are left out."). So, this is not a setback for the principle of affirmative action.

But the judges appear to be mightily pissed at the government's handling of this 'higher-ed' round of OBC reservation. Thus, this stay is certainly a slap in the face of the UPA government.

4 Comments:

  1. Anonymous said...

    The slap on the face is exactly what the UPA government deserved for its ham handed treatment of quotas. At the very least they could have done some proper research before trying to implement quotas.
    Mr Arjun Singh couldnt even put a figure to the percentage of OBCs and yet pulled a number out of his hat and said "thou shalt have 27% reservations".
    Hope the ruling helps stop further misadventure by the UPA govt.

  2. barbarindian said...

    Justice at last.

  3. Anonymous said...

    I am afraid this will not deter our mad politicians who are bent upon destroying whatever little remains of this country. After all if they could listen to reason, we would not have reached this stage in the first place. All the points that the court has raised will fall on deaf years; it is only a small obstacle which our venal politicians are so adept at overcoming.

  4. Anonymous said...

    Using criteria other than merit (entrance exam, interview, certificate of marks, recommendation letters from teachers) will definitely lead to the reduction of quality in the long run whether it be "money" in the case of capitation fee ( these have lower prestige than the IITs)or "influence or source" as they call it. If the percentage of such entrances is less than 10%, then the overall prestige is probably not compromised. If it is 50%, I am not sure what the outcome will be.