Maharashtra to provide 1% reservation to orphans in government jobs and education

The decision was cleared in the state cabinet meeting held on Wednesday. The policy was first formulated in 2018 but could not be implemented owing to technical difficulties which have been removed, said state women and child development minister Yashomati Thakur.

The Maharashtra government has decided to provide 1% reservation to orphans in government jobs and education. The decision was cleared in the state cabinet meeting held on Wednesday. The policy was first formulated in 2018 but could not be implemented owing to technical difficulties which have been removed, said state women and child development minister Yashomati Thakur.

Maharashtra women and child development minister Yashomati Thakur also declared that the state would provide jobs to all candidates who appeared for examinations for government jobs but could not get it owing to delay in results. (HT FILE)

She also declared that the state would provide jobs to all candidates who appeared for examinations for government jobs but could not get it owing to delay in results. “All those, who have appeared for exams but could get it because of delay in declaring results, will now be accommodated in the government jobs,” Thakur told reporters at Sahyadri guest house after cabinet meeting.

In the revised policy, the state government has divided orphans into three categories: A, B and C. The first two categories are eligible for reservation in government jobs and educational schemes while those in the third category will be eligible only for educational schemes, officials said.

The 1% reservation to orphans will be provided based on the total number of positions in jobs and number of seats in admissions. Criteria such as age, educational qualifications etc. for becoming eligible under the policy is similar to the existing norms determined for Scheduled Caste category, said a senior official from women and child development department.

“The state was facing difficulties in providing the same benefits to all kinds of orphans, and thus made the desired changes, making it feasible,” said another senior official, wishing not to be named.

According to the revised policy, orphans who have no idea about their parents, siblings, relatives, village, address, etc. will fall in the first (A) category. Those who have lost their parents, and whose documents do not mention their caste or those who do not have a caste certificate, and orphans brought up at orphanages will come under the second (B) category. Those who have lost their parents before adulthood and were brought up by relatives and have details of their caste will fall in the last (C) category.