Govt highlights law for quota for OBCs

Completing three years in power, the government today highlighted the legislation providing for reservation for OBCs in central educational institutions as one of its major achievements.

"In order to ensure that students belonging to other backward classes get equitable access to higher education in educational institutions maintained or aided by the Central Government, Parliament has enacted the Central Educational Institutions (Reservation in Admission) Act, 2006," the government said in its report card on completion of three years.

It said the implementation of the recommendations of the Oversight Committee chaired by Veerappa Moily, that looked at the issue of OBC quota in educational institutions, would result in an increase in the capacities, student intake and public expenditure in higher education.

In an effort to enhance the educational infrastructure, the age of superannuation for teaching positions in centrally-funded institutions of higher and technical education has been increased from 62 years to 65 years, the report said.

The law providing for OBC quota in central educational institutions is currently under the consideration of the Supreme Court. The government said it was finalising a bill on the National Commission on Higher Education and has approved introduction of the Foreign Educational Institutions Bill in Parliament for regulating the entry and operations of the foreign institutes.

On strengthening school education, the report said during 2007-08, two lakh more teachers will be appointed and construction of five lakh more classrooms was targeted.

It said while the Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan had improved the enrolment ratio in schools to 96 per cent, the drop out rate continued to be high.

The government said the Kendriya Vidyalayas would be more than doubled from the existing 919 by opening of 1,000 new schools over the 11th Plan period. Likewise, the Jawahar Navodaya Vidyalaya system too would expand to more than double its existing size of 539 schools through opening of 700 more schools over the Plan period.

The Centre is actively pursuing with the states the issue of adopting a Model Right to Education Bill. The total allocation for education has risen to Rs 32,352 crore in 2007-08, an increase by 34 per cent over the previous year.