Industry response to job quota guarded: Meira

The industry8217;s main concern, the minister said, is merit. 8216;8216;They have said that it will affect merit. And they are concerned about how we will implement it and want to know more details,8217;8217; she said. The Ministry had sent 218 letters to private companies and has received responses from 20 major companies.

8216;8216;They cannot come out and openly say they do not support reservation for SC/ST because that would be politically incorrect,8217;8217; she said at the meeting, and added, 8216;8216;Yet, they are not prepared to accept reservation because they believe in a globalised competitive world they will not be able to face competition if they cannot hire according to their perception of merit.8217;8217; The Minister also said that the industry was also raising accountability issues.

8216;8216;Also, when the private sector talks about affirmative action, in the same breath it speaks of tax incentives and rebates,8217;8217; she said, adding that the notion that SC/ST people don8217;t have any merit is hurtful. She said persons from these communities have demonstrated merit of international standard in traditional occupations.