AISA Demands Withdrawal Of UGC Draft Guidelines On Reservation In Higher Educational Institutions

The All-India Students’ Association (AISA) has urged that the UGC retract its proposed rules on the implementation of reservation, allowing institutions to de-reserve seats for candidates identified as SC, ST, or OBC. A vacancy designated for SC, ST, or OBC candidates may be deemed unreserved in accordance with UGC draft guidelines if sufficient candidates from these categories are not available.

The student association issued objections to UGC guidelines entitled “Implementation of reservation policy of the government of Indian in Higher Education Institutions (HEIs). “The de-reservation policy being adopted in Chapter X of this document is an unconstitutional, systematic attack on the social justice policy of reservation”, said the student body in an objection issued. The association declared that it seeks to hold the institution of education administration accountability to the Constitution and rule of law. “The current guidelines could perpetuate inequality, poverty, marginalization and lack of diversity in academic institutions due to lack of clear guidelines”, said AISA.

The guidelines procedure is considered to be exclusionary and lacked commitment to any real consultative process in compliance with Pre-legislative Consultative Policy 2014, the objection statement says. AISA further acknowledge, the lack of legislative procedure with deep constitutional repercussions, in the adoption of the said guidelines. The association mentioned that criteria to be adopted are utterly vague and will enable rampant de-reservation.

Reservation is a policy to correct the historical injustice faced by backward castes and to ensure adequate representation of SC, ST and OBC candidates. “There has been a continues hegemony of the upper castes in higher education institutions with gross under-representation of marginalised castes members. This is out of line with Constitutional values.”, the statement said. “The government is responsible to ensure equality and justice for all sections of society as has been noted in State of Karnataka v. Appa Balu Ingale judgement by Supreme Court”, mentioned AISA.

It should be mentioned that AISA is an organisation of students and research scholars in educational institutes across India working to protect the values of the Constitution, and to uphold social justice in institutions.