The Hindu : National : Quota panel report likely by month-end

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Wednesday, Sep 13, 2006
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Quota panel report likely by month-end

Special Correspondent

We need more time to address issues: Moily

NEW DELHI: The report of the Oversight Committee on Reservation has been further delayed. It is now likely to be submitted by the month-end against the August 31 deadline set by the United Progressive Alliance-Left coordination committee on May 23. The coordination panel decided in favour of reservation for Other Backward Classes (OBCs) in Central educational institutions.

The meeting of the Oversight Committee, scheduled for Friday to finalise the report, will now be held on September 27, Veerappa Moily, chairman, said on Tuesday.

"This is a sensitive and significant issue. It is of national importance. The committee wants to have a cautious approach. Hence, the meeting has been rescheduled for September 27 and the committee is likely to submit its report by the month-end."

Seeks more time

On the second extension of the deadline, Mr. Moily told The Hindu that the "issues are manifold and we need more time to address all of them; particularly the question of funding. And since we have submitted an interim report, the committee has bought itself some breathing time. An interim report was not expected of us; we volunteered to prepare one to facilitate the Government's preparations for the mammoth task at hand."

Though the Government decided to extend reservation to the creamy layer among the OBCs, it was still an open issue on the committee, which in the first place was never asked to give a view on the contentious aspect of the reservation policy.

Asked whether the committee had the mandate to make recommendations on the creamy layer, Mr. Moily said: "We are an Oversight Committee and have to look into the entire gamut of issues that may go beyond the terms of reference."

However, the committee was yet to decide whether or not to take a view on the creamy layer issue.

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