TN to enhance income limit for OBC quota

Chennai, Oct 4: Welcoming the Centre's decision to enhance the income limit from Rs 2.5 lakh to Rs 4.5 lakh for OBC candidates to avail Reservation, Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M Karunanidhi today demanded lifting of income ceiling for quota to socially and educationally backward classes.

In a letter to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, copy of which was released to the media here, Mr Karunanidhi said the enhancement of the income limit would definitely bring more students under the Reservation category. But it would only temporarily solve the issue of filling up the unfilled vacancies.

The Union Cabinet yesterday, had approved raising the income criterion for the creamy layer among the Other Backward Classes (OBC) to bring more people under the Reservation category.

The decision would also help students, seeking admission in the central educational institutions, which provided 27 per cent quota for OBCs.

Referring to this, Mr Karunanidhi said ''we have been insisting that no economic criterion by way of annunal income of the parents of the students should be inserted for Reservation for socially and educationally Backward classes, as contemplated by the Constitution of India.

''But the prsent decision taken by the Union government will temporarily solve the issue of filling up the unfilled vacancies'', Mr Karunanidhi said, conveying his appreciation and thanks to the Prime Minister and the Central Cabinet for raising the income limit.

TNCC President K V Thangabalu also thanked Congress President Sonia Gandhi and the Prime Minister for enhancing the income limit.

This would go a long way in helping OBC students to pursue higher education, he said.

UNI