Upper caste quota: UP becomes third state to approve legislation

Lucknow, Jan 18: The Uttar Pradesh government Friday approved 10 per cent reservation for economically backward among upper castes in jobs and educational institutions. The nod was given at a meeting here of the state cabinet presided over by Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, senior cabinet minister and UP government spokesperson Shrikant Sharma told mediapersons.

Uttar Pradesh became the third state after Gujarat and Jharkhand to approve the legislation which has to be ratified by at least half the state Assemblies in the country. The Constitution (124 Amendment) Bill, 2019, providing for 10 per cent reservation in jobs and educational institutions to the economically weaker sections in the general category was passed by Parliament in its recently concluded winter session. President Ram Nath Kovind has since given his assent to the bill.

"The cabinet meeting presided over by Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath approved the notification granting 10 per cent reservation to the poor among the upper castes which has come into effect on January 14," Sharma said.

"The UP government will implement the quota for the upper castes fully without touching the reservation for other sections of society," he said.

Meanwhile, a meeting between Deputy Chief Minister Dinesh Sharma, who holds the Higher Education portfolio, and state and private universities, approved a proposal for implementing the 10 per cent reservation for upper caste poor in higher education institutions after Cabinet approval.

There are 49 universities in the state, including four Central universities, 15 state universities and 27 private universities, together accounting for over 44,000 seats in various disciplines.

PTI