In a note prepared that day for the Cabinet, his Ministry has proposed a legislation with provisions that give the Government unprecedented power not only to impose quotas in over 100 “deemed universities” over and above 32 Central institutions but also to regulate their fees, selection procedure—and even take punitive action.

So not just IITs, IIMs and AIIMS, the institutions which are brought into the 27% OBC quota net include Birla Institute of Technology and Science, Pilani; Manipal Academy of Higher Education; Pune’s Symbiosis International Education Centre and the Tata Institute of Social Sciences.

According to the note, obtained by The Sunday Express, the key provisions of the proposed Bill, titled Central Educational Institutions (Reservation of Seats and Regulation of Admission and Fee) Bill, 2006, are:

• Quotas specified: 15 for SCs; 7.5 for STs and 27 for OBCs

• New names in this quota net: Institutions, aided and unaided by the Government, and deemed to be universities will now be “Central educational institutions” to which the above percentages will apply.

• UGC decides: The University Grants Commission will have the power to regulate admissions and fees in these institutions.

• Two fee packages: There will be a “differential fee structure” for SC/ST/OBC students to make “reservation a meaningful reality.” The Centre can specify what the difference in fees should be.

• Mandatory increase in seats: The Government can, “by order, direct any Central Educational Institution to increase the number of seats in each branch or faculty,” to protect the number of seats available for general students. In other words, no IIT or IIM can refuse to increase seats.

• Say in selection: Unaided institutions deemed to be universities shall make admissions in “a fair and transparent manner,” on the basis of qualifying examinations prescribed by UGC.

• Monitoring: The Centre has power to check for compliance with the provisions by the institutions.

• Punitive action: In case of violation, the Centre can withhold grants, withdraw deemed university status, take “any other appropriate action under relevant acts.”

Bill drags these too into the quota raj: IIFT, NSD, BIT...

Among the “deemed universities” that are proposed to be brought under the new Bill:

• Indian School of Mines (Dhanbad)

• Manipal Academy of Higher Education (Manipal)

• National Institute of Mental Health and Sciences (Bangalore)

• Tata Institute of Social Sciences (Mumbai)

• Symbiosis International Education centre (Pune)

• Indian Institute of Foreign Trade (Delhi)

• Tata Institute for Fundamental Research (Mumbai)

• Narsee Monjee Institute of Management Studies (Mumbai)

• BITS (Pilani)

• National School of Drama (Delhi)

• BIT-Mesra (Ranchi)

• Central Institute for English and Foreign Languages (Hyderabad)

What the world thinks
From Arjun trying to embarrass his boss to India’s weight of history

Fundamental failure of Indian education is not discrimination in tertiary institutions; rather, it is the inability of primary and secondary schools to produce enough qualified students. Determination to extend reservations can be blamed on politics. Some close to the prime minister scent an effort by Arjun Singh to embarrass his boss, whose job he is widely reckoned to think should be his.
• The Economist

Draconian quotas have cast doubt on the ability of the country’s leading universities to compete with the best in the world.
• Daily Telegraph, London

Biggest obstacle to modernisation of India’s society is the persistence of its demeaning caste system. So, on the face of it, the new policy is a step in the right direction. But appearances can be misleading. In practice, the move would do very little to expand opportunities for India’s historically disadvantaged groups. But it would deal a serious blow to the quality of India’s best universities...There are certainly reasons for believing that Arjun Singh, India’s minister for education, who unveiled the measure, is using it to bolster his ambitions to replace Mr Singh
• Financial Times

The clash pits winners in India’s ongoing economic boom against those who have been left behind.
• USA Today

It’s undeniable that more people must benefit from India’s economic growth. The danger lies in using caste to make growth more inclusive. A worse folly is for politicians to pretend that caste-based quotas would encourage diversity. Caste-based quotas are the antithesis of affirmative action. India has to obliterate caste-based identities from the national consciousness.
• International Herald Tribune