(Rptng correcting word in para one line five)

New Delhi, May 23 (UNI) With the Government yesterday announcing it will reserve 27 per cent higher education seats for students of Other Backward Classes(OBCs) from June next, the Social Justice and Empowerment Ministry also today reiterated its commitment to providing quota for weaker classes in private sector jobs.

''The Commomn Minimum Programme(CMP) makes it clear that Government will try to ensure jobs for these in the private sector,'' Social Justice and Empowerment Minister Meira Kumar told reporters here.

Asked whether her Ministry was considering some early decision on the issue after yesterday's announcement of the Government, she said she need not repeat that the Government's commitment in this regard was clear.

Ms Kumar had, two days earlier, said the Corporates were not responding to the quota proposal favourably.

The appeal to coporates for reserving jobs for the weaker sections was made by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh last month.

The issue has again hotted up after the decision to bring in a legislation for 27 per cent reservation for OBC students in Parliament in the Monsoon session and to implement it in educational institutions under the Central government's purview from the academic session starting June 2007.

This decision has evoked countrywide protests from students and other sections of the society.

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