Creamy layer job criteria could apply in higher education too

Just days ahead of submitting an affidavit in the Supreme Court on OBC reservation in higher education, the Union Government has restated its criteria for defining ‘‘creamy layer’’, which are excluded from job reservations.

Just days ahead of submitting an affidavit in the Supreme Court on OBC reservation in higher education, the Union Government has restated its criteria for defining ‘‘creamy layer’’, which are excluded from job reservations.

Highly placed sources indicated that the creamy layer concept in job reservation would be applicable in the proposed reservations in higher education as well. This has been one of the questions raised by the apex court, which the Centre will be answering in an affidavit due on July 24.

PS Krishnan, former bureaucrat and former member secretary of Mandal Commission, has been appointed a special advisor to the HRD Minister to prepare the affidavit.

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Sons and daughters of Group A/Class-1 officers of All-India Central and state services and of ‘‘equivalent or comparable’’ private sector employees are considered creamy layer and excluded from reservations.

Other definitions for creamy layer, such as persons having annual income above Rs 2.5 lakh, children of professionals such as doctors, lawyers and engineers also remain. Children of people holding constitutional posts, such as, members of Parliament, Chief Election Commissioner, etc., and those with landholdings above certain limit are also excluded from reservations.

Restating the criteria may be a prelude to the application of the same in education. Though the present draft Bill for OBC reservation under circulation does not mention creamy layer, the Centre could introduced it through a Government Order.