OBC quota: Baalu for parliamentary panel

He said the government constituted two Commissions to advise to the government in this regard but nothing happened.

Stressing the need for an urgent quantification of OBC quota, Union Shipping Minister TR Baalu on Sunday demanded constitution of a high powered Parliamentary Committee on the lines of the SC/ST panel to look into the affairs relating to OBCs.

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Addressing the National Seminar on Social Justice to OBCs organised by Pattali Makkal Katchi in New Delhi, the Minister also said the OBC population was demanding the enactment of the law ensuring 27 per cent quota in elite educational institutions.

"The OBC people are of the clear view that how come the prospect of the employment could be fruitfully achieved without adequate educational background, which some how has been missing link so far," Baalu said.

He said the government constituted two Commissions to advise to the government in this regard but nothing happened.

"The OBCs are sceptical on the avoidable delay of more than five decades in realising this dream, which is not fully realised as yet for want of a proper quantification and requisite government instructions," Baalu said.

"Out of the 1224 seats in 12 Tamil Nadu medical colleges, the first 14 ranks in the entrance test were secured by OBC students. Forward community students could win only six ranks in first 100 ranks," he said.

Similarly, in the Civil Services tests 3rd and 4th ranks were secured by OBCs while six SC/ST students were in the first 20, he added.

He said Mandal Commission recommendations have so far been the most widely acceptable and recognised terms for providing social justice to OBCs.

The Union Minister assured the gathering that the UPA government would enact the final amendment to provide 27 per cent quota for OBC students in elite educational institutions.

Baalu was of the view that the disparity between upper caste students and their OBC counterparts could only be the way out.