Punjab Govt enhances OBC quota in educational institutes to 10 per cent

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, April 19

The Punjab Government on Wednesday announced increase in reservation of Other Backward Classes (OBC) in educational institutes from existing five per cent to 10 per cent.

The reservation quota for members of the backward classes has also been similarly enhanced in technical and professional institutions in the state, an official spokesperson disclosed here.

The enhancement in quota comes into immediate effect as the Welfare Department has already issued a notification to this effect. 

The move is aimed at upliftment of the Dalits and other backward classes, the spokesperson said.

The Capt Amarinder government had, in its election manifesto, promised several measures for the upliftment of the OBCs/Dalits, including reservation in educational institutions and jobs.

The spokesperson, however, clarified that the decision does not impact the reservation quota/percentage for scheduled castes/scheduled tribes, which remains unchanged at 25 per cent.

The Punjab Government had in March 1964 notified reservation quota of 20 per cent and two per cent seats for the members of scheduled castes/scheduled tribes and backward classes in education, technical and professional institutions.

These norms were revised in 1974, when the state government enhanced the quota by five per cent, taking it to 25 per cent in case of members of scheduled castes, and to five per cent in case of members of backward classes.