Parties want quota Bill in next session

The situation is ripe for another standoff. Political parties that favour reservation for OBCs in higher educational institutions have stepped up their campaign and demand that the enabling legislation for implementation of the quota be passed in the coming monsoon session of Parliament.

But the educational institutions themselves say they cannot create new infrastructure so quickly, especially in medical colleges.

The government is worried that as colleges reopen after the summer break for a new session, there should be no resonance of the reservation issue on the campuses.

At a seminar organised by the Pattali Makkal Katchi (PMK) of Tamil Nadu, representatives of various parties also sought introduction of reservation in the private sector, media and judiciary along with higher education from the year 2007.

"Talking of increasing seats and infrastructure in the educational institutions is only a ploy to postpone the implementation of reservation. The legislation should be brought in the monsoon session of Parliament itself," PMK founder president S Ramadoss said.

Arguing against the implementation of the quotas in phases, former Prime Minister V P Singh said, "It has to be done in one stroke. There should be no instalments. Even if there is a need of increasing the number of seats, it should be done from the next year itself," he added. Singh favoured a country-wide referendum on reservations. "Let the issue be settled once and for all."

However, the reports that the Oversight Committee led by Veerappa Moily is getting, suggest that it is possible only to increase seats by 2007 - and that too only in medical colleges.