UPA back to quota groundwork, allies want to debate SC

While the Government today endorsed the IIMs8217; plan to bring out two admission lists in view of the Supreme Court stay on the law providing 27 per cent reservation to OBCs in higher education institutions

While the Government today endorsed the IIMs8217; plan to bring out two admission lists in view of the Supreme Court stay on the law providing 27 per cent reservation to OBCs in higher education institutions, the issue is back on the political frontburner with UPA8217;s southern partners DMK and PMK demanding that Parliament, which meets tomorrow to start the second leg of the Budget session, suspend question hour to discuss the issue of 8220;judicial over-reach8221;.

DMK and PMK members, who have been protesting the Supreme Court stay on quota, also met External Affairs Minister Pranab Mukherjee today. Later, they raised this issue at the meeting of the Cabinet Committee on Political Affairs CCPA which was called to find a way out on IIM admissions to end uncertainty among students.

The CCPA, which okayed the IIMs8217; plan for two merit lists 8212; the first merit list would be for general category students and the second, to be brought out after the Supreme Court nod, for those on the quota list 8212; felt there had to be broad political consensus on the issue. The UPA now plans to take it up with its Left allies tomorrow.

So as not to inconvenience students, the Government will let IIMs declare a merit list of 1,350 students in the first phase. This will be the same number of students admitted last year, minus the 27 per cent OBC quota.

In the second phase, the IIMs 8212; as and when the quota law gets the Supreme Court green signal 8212; will be declaring another list of 157 students the increased intake for this year which will take care of 27 per cent OBC seats and proportionate increase of SC and ST seats.

For now, this will take care of several concerns raised by IIMs: their academic calendar will not be disturbed, they will not lose out on best quality students, the SC8217;s stay order will be respected and above all, the interests of OBC students will also be protected, as and when the law is okayed by the court. On what led him to change his stance from putting the IIM results on hold to letting them go-ahead with a first list of general category students, Union HRD Minister Arjun Singh, who met the PM before the CCPA, said, 8220;It was students8217; interests8221;.

IIM sources said they will be able to declare the first list this week itself, after a formal communication reaches them.

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The change in Government attitude came a day after Chief Justice of India K G Balakrishnan8217;s bench advanced the quota hearing from the third week of August to May 8.