The Hindu : New Delhi News : JNU councillors seek clarification

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JNU councillors seek clarification

Staff Reporter

Letter written to Arjun Singh on confusion over applicability of quota

NEW DELHI: The councillors of different schools at Jawaharlal Nehru University here have written to Union Human Resource Development Minister Arjun Singh on the confusion over applicability of reservation for the Other Backward Classes at the post-graduate level.

Landmark judgment

In a letter that was delivered at the Minister’s office on Friday, the councillors said while they welcomed the Supreme Court’s landmark judgment upholding 27 per cent OBC reservation in Central educational institutions, the validity for such reservation for post-graduate courses was unclear due to the differences in the verdicts of the five-judge Bench.

“This difference in the verdicts has created some confusion in JNU, especially since a majority of the courses in our University are post-graduate courses. Those opposed to OBC reservation are claiming that their plea in this regard has been endorsed by the Supreme Court. On the other hand, we believe that restricting reservations to under-graduate courses alone would defeat the very purpose of the Act,” read the letter.

The students have urged the Union Government to seek a clarification from the apex court on this issue.

The letter was signed by Divya Cherian, convenor of JNU’s School of Social Sciences; Taneesha Devi Mohan and Zico Dasgupta, both councillors of the same School; Ameet P., convenor of School of Arts and Aesthetics; Tiainla, councillor of School of International Studies; and Anirban and Sami Ahmad, both councillors of the School of Language, Literature and Culture Studies.

All the councillors belong to the Students’ Federation of India.

On Thursday, the Delhi State Committee of the SFI had welcomed the Supreme Court’s verdict to uphold the Central legislation enabling 27 per cent reservation for OBCs in Central educational institutions.

Social justice

Describing the judgment as historic, the students’ outfit said it would pave the way for social justice and affirmative action in educational institutions for the deprived sections of society.

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