Centre expresses willingness to review reservation indexing of OBCs

The government Friday said it was ready to discuss reservation indexing of Other Backward Classes and has already set up a committee for its sub-categorisation. The OBC sub-categorisation committee, under the chairmanship of retired Justice G Rohini, is working on the issue from October 2017, Minister of State in the Prime Minister's Office Jitendra Singh informed the Parliament. The committee has been asked to submit its report by May 31, he said.

"The government is aware of the issue and is ready to discuss it with an open mind. The intention is justice to every section of the society," Singh said. The committee, which has four other members, is in the process of gathering information from different quarters, several sections of societies and even from various states and Union territories, the minister said. "The tenure of this committee has been extended on the demand of its members, but the government has asked them to complete the report by May 31, 2019," he said.

The minister was replying to a private member's resolution urging to adopt a new method of implementing reservation benefits--Weighted Index System. This system prioritises reservation by taking into account the relevant social and educational criteria to access the backwardness of every individual. The resolution moved by BJP MP Vikas Mahatme said 97 per cent of all reservation benefits at the central level for Other Backward Classes (OBC) has been acquired by 25 per cent OBC group, whereas 37 per cent OBCs have not received any representation at all.

Mahatme later withdrew the resolution after he was assured by the minister that his concern would be looked into. Participating in the debate, Ram Kumar Verma of BJP said people from the scheduled class were still waiting for justice. Sanjay Singh of AAP said the government should also consider giving benefits of reservation to Muslims.

(With inputs from agencies.)