Govt not to review quota; preparing reply to SC

The government is putting together material that would form the basis for arriving at the decision of 27% reservation for obcs in higher education, even as it ruled out plans to review the quota policy.

"The ministry has to put together all the material available to it reach the conclusion of 27%... The material will be put together. Wait for the material," finance minister P Chidambaram said in an interview to Karan Thapar on the programme 'Devil's Advocate' to be telecast on CNN-IBN on Sunday night.

The court, on May 29, gave the Centre eights weeks to reply to a series of queries on reservations.

When repeatedly asked that his answer suggested the government had announced a decision in favour of reservations without evaluating the need, he said, "the government will answer in a proper forum, in the Parliament, in the Supreme Court (but) not in an interview."

He, however, said the government would compile its answers on the basis of various state reports of other backward classes (OBC) numbers, the mandal report and the NSSO surveys.

Chidambaram, who is a member of the group of ministers looking into reservations for OBCs in higher education, said the government has no intention of reviewing the caste-based reservation policy.

"As I understand... There is no ground to review whether there should be reservations or not. There is no ground at all... If a review means questioning the justification of reservations i say No," he said.