No OBC quota this year in Symbiosis: SC

The Supreme Court on Monday told the Pune-based Symbiosis International University and Delhi University not to implement 27 per cent quota for the other backward communities (OBCs) students in this academic session.

A bench of Justice BN Agrawal and Justice PP Naolekar passed the order. A larger
bench headed by Chief Justice KG Balakrishnan will hear this petition later.
The Centre said that the seats reserved for OBCs students would not affect the general category students. ‘’The Act was not detrimental to the interest of any section of the population,’’ government said.

Youth for Equality, a group of youngsters spearheading the movement to stall the government’s move to implement quota, had sought contempt action against the two institutions. Symbiosis International University on April 30, 2007 kept aside seven per cent seats for the OBC students on the basis of their caste from this academic year.

‘’It is submitted that the aforesaid actions of both Symbiosis International University and Delhi University are in utter disregard and in violation of the stay order passed by the Court’’, the petitioner said.

Earlier in June, the apex court had warned the Symbiosis University that it would be admitting students under the 27 per cent OBC quota at its “own peril.” “They(university) would be doing so at their own peril,” a bench of Justice Arijit Pasayat and Justice PP Naolekar had said.