SC&ST quota hike: Protest rages on

Berhampur: Protests continue to erupt across the State over hike in reservation of seats for SC&ST category as students of MKCG Medical College in Berhampur staged demonstration demanding withdrawal of the increase in quota.

The protesting students demanded that the selection of candidates for admission in medical institutes should solely be based on merit. Moreover, with such reservations for special categories, the students of the general category will be deprived from higher education.

Earlier on Wednesday, the students of Burla Medical College voicing their concerns over the government decision, carried out a protest rally from the college premises and demanded that the government should make provisions for admissions solely on the basis of merit.

While only eight per cent of the seats were earlier reserved for the SC candidates in educational institutions, now they would avail 16.25 per cent of the seats in any college. Similarly, the ratio of reservation for ST students was enhanced to 22.5 per cent from 12 per cent.

Chief minister Naveen Patnaik approved a proposal in this regard and the new decision would be implemented from the 2015-16 academic year. The government’s decision would be applicable for all the educational institutes run either by the government or private owners in the State.

The ST and SC students would get the facility in higher studies like medical and engineering colleges and universities, said Durga Prasad Behera, the additional secretary in higher education department.