HRD Ministry sends ordinance on reservation mechanism for faculties for Cabinet approval

The HRD Ministry has sent an ordinance on reservation mechanism for faculties in universities for Cabinet approval, officials said Friday.

HRD Minister Prakash Javadekar had said in the Lok Sabha on February 11 that the government can "bring an ordinance if its review petition filed in the top court is rejected".

Officials said while the ministry filed a review petition in the Supreme Court a week ago, it had also sent the ordinance for Cabinet approval two-three days ago.

"The review petition was filed last week but we do not know when it will be taken up by the apex court. The ministry has also sent the ordinance for cabinet approval and if it is approved by the cabinet, the review petition will be withdrawn," said a ministry official.

The University Grants Commission (UGC) had announced in March last year that an individual department should be considered as the base unit to calculate the number of teaching posts to be reserved for the Scheduled Caste (SC) and Scheduled Tribe (ST) candidates following an order by the Allahabad High Court in April in 2017.

The HRD Ministry had filed the review petition after its special leave petition against the court order which was rejected by the Supreme Court.

Various students and teachers organisations have been urging the government to bring an ordinance restoring the 200-point roster taking college or university as a unit for reservation in teaching posts.