New Delhi 16 January 2018: The Human Resource Development minister Prakash Javadekar announced Tuesday that the government will implement 10% reservation for economically weaker section of the general category from the 2019 academic session and increase around 25% seats in higher educational institutions and universities across the country.

The minister said that the 10% reservation for the Economically Weaker Sections will be applied to both private and public institutions from this academic session – 2019-20.

Mr Prakash Javadekar informed that the decision was taken at a meeting of officials from the ministry, University Grants Commission (UGC) and the All India Council of Technical Education (AICTE).

“The reservation will be implemented from the 2019-2020 academic session itself. Nearly 25 % seats will be added to ensure that the reservation does not disturb the existing quota for SC, ST and other categories. There are around 40,000 colleges and 900 universities across the country and supernumerary quota will be provided in these,” Javadekar told media persons.

The minister, however, did not specify the number of seats which will be added.

“The modalities are being worked out and within a week’s time we will have the exact number of seats that will be added. The operation manuals about how to implement the quota will be issued soon. The colleges and universities will also be asked to mention the quota in their prospectus as well and make infrastructural arrangements accordingly,” the minister mentioned.

Javadekar also informed that the private universities are also ready to implement the quota.

Here it can be mentioned that recently, the Parliament brought about the 124th Constitutional Amendment, which received the President’s approval on 12 January 2019.

The quota will be over and above the existing 50% reservation to Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes and Other Backward Classes (OBCs).