BJP, oppn spar over quota in higher edu

Bhubaneswar: Odisha govt's decision to offer 11.25% quota for backward classes in higher education has sparked a war of words. While opposition parties termed the quota meaningless as it does not cover admission in medical and engineering colleges, Union minister Dharmendra Pradhan slammed the BJD and Congress for not taking such a decision when they were in power.

Responding to media queries, Dharmendra on Thursday accused the Congress and BJD of neglecting socially and educationally backward classes (SEBC)s for 35 years since the Mandal Commission recommendations in 1990, denying them their rightful reservations in higher education.

The minister said the state cabinet's approval of 11.25% reservation for SEBC students in higher and secondary education is a "significant step towards social justice". He added that similar provisions would be extended to technical and medical education in the future.

Regarding 11.25% quota for backward classes — against the all-India reservation of 27% — the Union minister said the percentage was decided in compliance with the Supreme Court's 50% ceiling for caste-based reservation, as Odisha already has 22.5% quota for STs and 16.25% for SCs.

Former Union minister and senior Congress leader Srikant Jena strongly criticised the decision on the SEBC quota, calling it a "cruel joke" and a "betrayal" of marginalised communities. Jena pointed out that OBC/SEBC students, who constitute 54% of the population, will continue to face zero representation in technical and professional fields.

Jena demanded the immediate implementation of 27% quota for OBC/SEBC in all educational institutions, including technical courses, and similar reservation in public employment with special recruitment drives. He also demanded full implementation of the 38.75% quota for SC/STs in technical education from the current 20%, and extension of reservation to private educational institutions.

BJD MLA and former education minister Arun Sahoo said the govt decision is half-hearted. "They have promised quota in Plus II and Plus III admissions in which seats are lying vacant. Such a move should extend to medical, professional, and technical education courses," Sahoo said.

Odisha higher education minister Suryabanshi Suraj said the BJD and Congress have no right to preach, as during their prolonged years in power, they did not take any step in this regard. "Nothing stopped them from taking such a step earlier. In less than a year after BJP came to power, quota for SEBCs was implemented," Suraj pointed out.