'Constitutional amendment on 4.5% sub-quota is an option'

With the Andhra Pradesh high court scrapping the 4.5% sub-quota for minorities, the government may explore various possibilities to ensure that those under this category are not affected.

With the Andhra Pradesh high court scrapping the 4.5% sub-quota for minorities, the government may explore various possibilities to ensure that those under this category are not affected.

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First of all, the government will move the Supreme Court for an interim stay, sources said, adding: "Only if that does not work in the government's favour will it think of exploring other options. An amendment in the constitution could be just one of the options. After all, amendments have been made in the past also."

The Andhra Pradesh high court had on Monday passed an order scrapping the 4.5% minority sub-quota. More than 300 students had been shortlisted under this sub-quota for the IIT-JEE this year. The selection of these students could be affected in the light of the ruling.

This year, the IITs had allowed a 4.5% sub-quota within the 27% seats reserved for other backward classes (OBC) – the non-creamy layer-OBC (NCL). Though as many as 445 seats were reserved for this category, 335 students qualified.