Vacancies due to students not availing SEBC, EWS quota: Shelar

Maharashtra School Education Minister Ashish Shelar Friday told the state Assembly that students belonging to Socially and Educationally Backward Classes (SEBC) as well as the Economically Weaker Sections (EWS) had not availed quota meant for them in junior college admissions, resulting in large number of vacancies.

Shelar told the Lower House that 34,251 seats were reserved for the SEBC category and 28,636 seats for EWS applicants.

In the first round of admissions, 4,557 students have taken benefit of the 12 per cent quota for SEBC (for Marathas) and 2,600 have taken benefit of the 10 per cent EWS quota.

The minister said special guidance cells are being set up for students who wish to avail reservation in these two categories.

For SEBCs, he said an undertaking by parents on plain paper, instead of caste validity, will be required.

For students from the EWS category, income certificate can be provided in three months time, the minister informed.