Congress leader Jairam Ramesh demands reservations in private higher education institutions.
The conversation around social justice in higher education has changed. The Congress has called on the Modi administration to provide reservations for members of the Scheduled Castes (SC), Scheduled Tribes (ST), and Other Backwards Classes (OBC) in private higher education institutions.
The demand follows an investigation by the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Education, led by Digvijaya Singh, which revealed that disadvantaged groups continue to be shut out of India's private colleges. The call is not just about policy but about equity. As public seats shrink and private colleges expand, the exclusion of SC, ST, and OBC students deepens inequality.
On Wednesday, Congress leader Jairam Ramesh pressed the Modi government to act. He reminded Parliament that Article 15(5) of the Constitution, inserted by the UPA in 2006 under Dr Manmohan Singh’s leadership, already empowers the state to mandate such reservations.
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The Supreme Court, in its 2014 verdict in Pramati Educational and Cultural Trust v Union of India, upheld the validity of this provision. Despite this, no law has been passed by Parliament to make Article 15(5) effective.
The Standing Committee’s report revealed alarming data. In private higher educational institutions, including the three Institutions of Eminence (IoEs) recognised by the Union Government, representation of marginalised groups is negligible.
SC students account for just 0.89 per cent, ST students 0.53 per cent, and OBC students 11.16 per cent. The Committee unanimously recommended that Parliament pass legislation to enforce 15 per cent reservation for SCs, 7.5 per cent for STs, and 27 per cent for OBCs.
The demand for reservations in private institutions is not new. Yet, it has remained unfulfilled. Jairam Ramesh pointed out that the UPA’s 93rd Amendment created the legal foundation nearly two decades ago. With the Supreme Court backing it, there is no legal hurdle left.
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What is missing is political will. Congress has also reminded the country that its 2024 Lok Sabha manifesto, the "Nyay Patra," promised such legislation. Now, the Standing Committee’s findings have brought fresh urgency.
The call for reservations is more than a political demand. It is a reminder that higher education cannot become a preserve of the privileged. As private colleges and universities grow in number and influence, excluding SC, ST, and OBC students only widens India’s social divide.
The ball is now in the Modi government’s court. A law can correct this imbalance. Ignoring the issue risks leaving millions of young Indians outside the gates of opportunity.
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