The government will move the Supreme Court on the issue of 4.5 per cent sub quota for minorities in July after the summer break of the apex court and not approach the vacation judge as the HRD Ministry has "no worry at this point" on students seeking counselling to IITs. Tell us: What do you think of UPA govt's education policy? The decision to move the apex court comes after the Andhra Pradesh High Court annulled the government's decision to carve out 4.5 per cent reservation for minorities from within the OBC quota. "I have spoken to (HRD Minister) Kapil Sibal. He has no worry at this point of time about the issue of whether the benefit of 4.5 per cent will be available to students this session. I asked him whether there was a shortage of time. The impression was there wasn't," Law Minister Salman Khurshid told a press conference here. Khurshid also holds the charge of the Minority Affairs Ministry. He said he was touch with Attorney General G E Vahanvati and they have,in principle,agreed that the matter will be prepared,filed and hopefully heard in the Supreme Court in the first week of July. The apex court reopens on July 2. He said the review will be filed before July 2. "It will be filed with the intention that it will be ready to be heard in the first week of July," said Khurshid. The government is of the opinion that the review should be filed before the SC after its summer break as there is a possibility that vacation judge could post the matter for hearing after the apex court reopens and therefore the matter should not be hastened,sources said. The minister said students who have gone in for counselling because they are in the 27 quota for OBCs will continue to get the entitlement. Khurshid said the 4.5 per cent sub quota will help students get courses of their choice. In the wake of the Andhra Pradesh High Court order,IITs have decided to abide by the ruling,ignoring the quota provision as of now. A recent statement by IITs had said that "all the shortlisted candidates are advised to note that availability of 4.5 per cent reservation for OBC (non creamy layer-minority) shall depend on the legal developments till June 13 and hence they may register the choice of courses accordingly". Earlier,addressing the conference of minority ministers of the states,Khurshid urged them,particularly those from the Opposition-ruled states,to convince their central leadership about the efficacy of the Equal Opportunity Commission's larger mandate of working of all the disadvantaged sections. Talking to reporters later he said if a consensus emerges on the issue,there can be some forward movement on EOC. Khurshid has been batting for a larger mandate for the EOC irrespective of whichever ministry handles it. However,due to strong objections from other ministries and the commissions functioning under them,the Group of Ministers headed by A K Antony had decided that the EOC's mandate should be limited to minorities and should avoid overlapping the working of other departments and commissions. There is an indication that an attempt is on from various stakeholders to revive the original concept of EOC,which was supposed to be an omnibus body catering to the interests of all disadvantaged sections.
