Karnataka College Admission Reservation: On the basis of caste census in Karnataka, the Siddaramaiah government is preparing to give 51 percent reservation to the OBC category in teacher institutions. In this way, the total reservation limit for admission in the state colleges including SC, ST and EWS can cross the figure of 85 percent.
The caste census report of the Siddaramaiah government in Karnataka is in the news. The socio-economic and educational survey report is now before the cabinet and is to be discussed on April 17. The recommendations will be decided on the same day. The report and its recommendations are not in the public domain yet. But sources say that the report proposes to increase the existing reservation for other backward classes in educational institutions from 32 to 51 percent.
Opposition parties like BJP and JDS are opposing this report. Lingayat and Vokkaliga, two major communities that have influence on the politics of the state, have been discussing the implications of caste-based census for the past several years.
Will reservation exceed 85 percent?
The OBC population is 70 percent of the total population of the state. If these recommendations are implemented, the reservation quota in the state is likely to exceed 85 percent. The state already has 10 percent reservation for economically weaker sections and 24 percent reservation for SC-ST.
The way the Siddaramaiah government has shown speed in accepting the report after the Ahmedabad session of the Congress, it is believed that the high command has given the green signal. Rahul Gandhi had said in Gujarat that the party will remove the 50 percent limit on the quota for SC-ST and OBC in education and government jobs. Rahul had said, ‘We will break every wall that is limiting the reservation of SC-ST and OBC to 50 percent.
Leader of Opposition in Karnataka Assembly R. Ashoka recently questioned the report and said that it was not prepared in a scientific manner. Accusing CM Siddaramaiah, he said that the people who prepared this report did not collect this data from door to door. However, in the month of February itself, Siddaramaiah rejected the allegations of the report not being scientific and said that the report has been prepared in a completely scientific manner. His government will accept its recommendations.
During his first term, Siddaramaiah conducted a survey by the Karnataka Committee, whose report was prepared in 2016. But, the report was shelved. The subsequent governments also did not take any action on it. In the year 2020, the BJP government made Jayaprakash Hegde the head of the Caste Census Commission. Hegde submitted the report to CM Siddaramaiah in February last year.
