Capitation fee is also a form of reservation: Paswan

New Delhi, May 18 (UNI) Minister for Steel,Chemicals and Fertilisers Ram Vilas Paswan today came down heavily on those opposing quota for weaker sections, ''but finding nothing wrong with the system of admission on the basis of capitation fee.'' ''Is it not another kind of reservation where a less deserving candidate gets preference over a deserving candidate,'' he said.

The Minister was speaking at the concluding session of a two-day conference on Empowerment of Scheduled Castes/Scheduled Tribes and Minorities through Elementary Education in New Delhi today.

He demanded separate allocation of funds in the budget for the SC/ST, minorities and backward communities.

He suggested that villages with more than 40 percent population of these classes and minorities and backward communities should be adopted as Model Villages and provided with quality residential education institutions.

Mr Paswan also wanted reservation of seats in private schools for students from BPL families in order to provide them equal opportunities in quality education.

The Minister said it is essential to provide equal opportunities in elementary education for the sake of fair competition.

Expressing concern over diminishing job opportunity in public sector undertakings in the wake of disinvestments, the Minister said reservation is justified in private sector also.

UNI