SOCIAL JUSTICE
SOCIAL JUSTICE
CATEGORISATION OF CASTES AMONG THE RESERVATION QUOTA FOR OBCS
The introduction of a 3% sub-quota for the Arundathiar community
within the SC reservation has yielded good dividends, as the
number of students from the oppressed caste - mainly consisting of scavengers and cobblers - gaining admission in medical colleges has gone up by 93% and in engineering colleges by 57%, informed Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Kalaignar M.Karunanidhi in the last week of October,
The Special Arundathiar quota legislation came into effect in academic year 2009-10. Recalling the enactment of law while he was undergoing treatment in hospital, Karunanidhi said in a statement that the measure was yielding fruits to the community.
The number of Arundathiars in medical colleges rose to 56 this year, while it was 29 last year and just 13 in 2006-07. In engineering colleges, as many as 1,165 students got admission this year, while it was 744 last year when the sub-quota was not in vogue, Karunanidhi pointed out.
Buoyed by the downtrodden community entering professional colleges in large numbers, the CM on 26th donated Rs. 61.50 lakh for a scholarship scheme to these 1,221 students. Each of them will get Rs.5000. The donation includes he Rs. 50 lakh remuneration he had received for penning a filmscript.
Thanking the CM, Adhi Tamilar Peravai founder leader R.Adhiyaman told that the sub-quota had generated great enthusiasm among students from the community and boosted parents’ morale. “We thank him for introduction the reservation. Our community’s plight has received his attention this term. We are planning to organise a thanks giving in Coimbatore for this,” he said.
Similarly, a sub-quota of 3.5% was given to Muslims out of the BC quota of 30% for which an ordinance was promulgated on 15.9.27 and subsequently it was ratified by enacting a law in the State Legislative Assembly.
The number of Muslims in medical colleges rose to 78 in 2008-09 and to 80 in 2009-10, while it was 46 in 2006-07 and 57 in 2007-08. In engineering colleges, as many as 3288 students got admission in 2008-09 and 3655 students in 2009-10, while it was 2125 in 2007-08, when the sub-quota was not there.
