The Hindu : Tamil Nadu / Chennai News : Tamil Nadu needs to better follow Centre’s guidelines on SC quota: Buta Singh

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Thursday, Dec 27, 2007
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Tamil Nadu

Tamil Nadu - Chennai

Tamil Nadu needs to better follow Centre’s guidelines on SC quota: Buta Singh

Special Correspondent

CHENNAI: The State government and educational institutions need to better follow the Union government’s guidelines for implementing reservations for Scheduled Castes, Buta Singh, Chairman, National Commission for Scheduled Castes, said here on Wednesday.

“At the moment, the Tamil Nadu government is making a very strange argument with regard to the implementation of some of the policies, especially the reservation for SCs,” Mr. Singh said. “They seem to be in a situation where they are saying unless the Backward Classes are provided with reservations, we will not implement the other reservations for the SCs.”

Mr. Singh said while the Commission supported reservation for BCs, the matter was still pending with the Supreme Court.

“If BCs also get reservation from the Constitution we are not opposed to it. But why should any State government come in the way of implementing the reservation policy for SCs? How can anybody put a block in implementing reservation of SCs that is granted by the Constitution? No State government is higher than the Constitution of India.”

He also said converted Christians and Muslims needed better representation. “The Commission has agreed in principle with the Rangnath Mishra Commission report. Whatever percentage accrued to the two converted Dalit groups should not affect reservation policy,” he said. The Supreme Court was looking into the matter. “Next month, we will hopefully find a new category [for these groups].”

Mr. Singh said educational institutions must implement the guidelines of the University Grants Commission (UGC), rather than follow the policies of the States they were located in. “Education is the main vehicle for applying social justice in our caste-based and religion-based society,” he said. “We need to make sure that drastic changes are brought.”

Speaking at the University of Madras following a meeting with the Vice-Chancellor and deans, Mr. Singh praised the University for its efforts in ensuring equal representation. However, he said while the university was following the State government’s guidelines, it was lacking in implementing some of the requirements mandated by the UGC. These included the presence of a liaison officer and a free book scheme for SC students.

S. Ramachandran, Vice-Chancellor, University of Madras, said the university would “rectify” the situation as soon as possible.

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