CPI-M wants OBC quota only for weaker sections

The CPI-M on Sunday said it wanted the quota for OBCs in elite educational institutions to be available only to the weaker sections.

"As distinct from the SC and ST categories there should be socio-economic criteria in reservations in educational institutions which ensure that the needy sections among the OBCs benefit from the reservations," CPI-M general secretary Prakash Karat told reporters after a two-day politburo meeting in Kolkata.

The politburo, he said, has already stated that there should be reservations in educational institutions for OBCs.

Given the fact that access to education and seats in professional institutions was limited, the CPI-M had asked the government to increase the seats to make them commensurate to the introduction of reservations for OBCs, he said.

"After the UPA Coordination Committee meeting in which the Left parties participated, a common understanding and approval was arrived at. We support that from the next academic year, reservation will be introduced and seats will be increased commensurately in all educational institutions," Karat said.

He urged anti-quota protestors to withdraw their agitation in the light of this "equitable and balanced" proposal put forward by the UPA and Left parties.