CPI(M) wants creme de la creme to be excluded from reservation

Kolkata, May 17 (UNI) The CPI(M) today urged the Centre to put for public debate a proposal for excluding the 'creamy layer' from the reservation quota for OBC in educational institutions.

In a statement, the party's Polit Bureau (PB) said distinct from the scheduled castes and tribes, there was differentiation among the other backward classes and reservation for them should benefit the poorer and needy sections.

''For this, there has to be a socio-economic criteria which excludes the affluent and those already having access to jobs and higher education. This came to be known as exclusion of the 'creamy layer' based on the Supreme Court judgement on the implementation of the Mandal Commission report,'' it said.

The party said it supported reservation in higher educational institutions for SC, ST and OBC, but it should be accompanied by increase in the number of seats.

While expanding the seats in educational institutions, students coming from weak and poorer background and who did not come in the reservation categories should also be provided for a separate allocation of seats, it observed.

''The Government of India should prepare a proposal which should be put for a public debate, so that the widest agreement is reached before it is taken up for implementation,'' the party said.

The PB suggested that the Government prepare a legislation for regulating admission and fees of all private higher educational institutions. The measure was needed to stop the 'crass commercialisation' of higher education which had closed doors for a large number of deserving students irrespective of their background.

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