IIMs, IITs to meet HRD ministry over 'creamy layer' issue

The "creamy layer" issue continues to fox ministers as well even as the premier B-schools delayed their admission process till the human resource development (HRD) ministry clarifies its stand.

The "creamy layer" broadly refers to second-generation beneficiaries of well-off Other Backward Classes (OBCs), which the Supreme Court had excluded from its judgment upholding the 27 per cent quota for OBCs in central educational institutions. The lack of clarity over who qualifies for this label has caused all-round confusion.

Directors of the premier Indian Institutes of Technology (IITs) and Indian Institutes of Management (IIMs) are scheduled to meet the human resource development (HRD) ministry representatives next week, said sources, to discuss the quota implementation issue.

While the IITs, IIMs and central universities are awaiting the HRD ministry's directive on how to go about implementing the OBC quota on the campuses, IITs hint that if the directive does not come in time, the admission could get slightly delayed.

IIMs have already gone on record saying they expect the release of the admission list to be delayed by a week.

The IIT Joint Entrance Exam is scheduled for April 13 (Sunday), for which over 300,000 students will appear. IIT Roorkee, which is holding the exam this year, had already invited applications with the OBC status details of the candidates.

"But with the issue of the creamy layer still not clear, we will need to wait for the final directive from the ministry and act accordingly," said an IIT Roorkee professor. The IITs say they had to put a brake on their plans of upgrading the infrastructure on the campus when the court did not give a ruling last year.

Meanwhile, at today's 30-minute Cabinet meeting, HRD Minister Arjun Singh was silent as others debated the issue.

"The prime minister said there is need to discuss the judgment, a detailed form of which we are awaiting. Only after studying the verdict can we think of some solution," is all he would tell the media.

Health Minister Anbumani Ramadoss and Steel Minister Ram Vilas Paswan, while congratulating the government, voiced concerns over the exclusion of the "creamy layer". Railway Minister Lalu Prasad, however, placated them: "After all it is up to the governments, both central and state, to decide who falls in the purview of the creamy layer."

Prime Minister Manmohan Singh reportedly interjected to end the debate: "We need to study the judgment before reaching a conclusion."

Last night, top Congress managers including Ahmad Patel, Pranab Mukherjee and A K Antony, among others, also spoke to UPA allies and told them the government would address the "creamy layer" issue.

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