OBCs move HC for reservation in NIT

Agartala, Aug 1 (UNI) The Tripura Other Backward Classes (OBC) Forum has sought justice in Gauhati High Court's Agartala bench following refusal by the state government to grant OBC reservation in National Institute of Technology (NIT), Agartala.

Official sources said here today that according to the latest reservation policy, the Union Ministry of Human Resource Development (HRD) had allowed nine per cent quota for OBC community students, but recently it was withdrawn, triggering resentment among students and political circles of the state.

Tripura OBC Forum sources alleged that the HRD Ministry was forced to withdraw the nine per cent reservation from NIT Agartala following a letter from Director of NIT Agartala S Saha to both the HRD Ministry and Central Counselling Board.

His letter stated that the institute in Tripura was situated within the Sixth Schedule area and so there was no scope for OBC reservation, the sources alleged.

With the withdrawal of OBC quota from NIT Agartala, the entire admission process had got disrupted and finally a case was filed in Gauhati High Court and the court is scheduled to hear the case on Monday.

However, the HRD Ministry has asked Chairman of the Board of Governors Prof P N Singh to visit the NIT Agartala campus and sort out the contentious issues, including appointment of well-qualified and adequate faculty as well as OBC reservation impasse, official sources said.

Meanwhile, the state government has refused to abide by the provisions of OBC reservation in the Central Educational Institution (Reservation In Admission) Act, 2006. It pressed for the implementation of 31 per cent reservation for tribals and 17 per cent for SCs in NIT Agartala.

Leaders of the OBC Welfare Committee said the provisions on Scheduled Area would not be applicable because NIT Agartala is an upgraded version of Tripura Engineering College set up in 1964 by the Centre and the ADC authorities had nothing to do with NIT management.

UNI BB DPM RD 0958