Draft bill on OBC quota ready: Arjun Singh

New Delhi, Aug 9: Refusing to be bogged down by the Supreme Court's refusal to vacate the stay on the implementation of the 27 percent quota for other backward classes (OBC) in central education institutions, Union HRD Minister Arjun Singh today said his ministry is ready with a new Bill for OBC quota in unaided institutions.

''The OBC reservation issue is not dead, the implementation has been only stayed. We will hold consultations with other parties and may be call an all-party meeting. But now, we are ready with a draft bill on OBC reservation in unaided institutions and hopefully it will be tabled in the monsoon session of Parliament,'' Mr Singh said.

He was speaking to reporters on the sidelines of inauguration of the Indira Gandhi Centre for Studies on Freedom Struggle in the IGNOU. The centre has been set up carry out relevant research and conduct other activities to honour freedom fighters and martyrs with a view to keep alive the patriotic spirit, communal harmony and multi-culturalism.

It was inaugurated today to commemorate the 150 years of the First war of Indian Independence, 1857.

UNI