While the Government today endorsed the IIMs’ plan to bring out two admission lists in view of the Supreme Court stay on the law providing 27 per cent reservation to OBCs in higher education institutions, the issue is back on the political frontburner with UPA’s southern partners DMK and PMK demanding that Parliament, which meets tomorrow to start the second leg of the Budget session, suspend question hour to discuss the issue of “judicial over-reach”.

DMK and PMK members, who have been protesting the Supreme Court stay on quota, also met External Affairs Minister Pranab Mukherjee today. Later, they raised this issue at the meeting of the Cabinet Committee on Political Affairs (CCPA) which was called to find a way out on IIM admissions to end uncertainty among students.

The CCPA, which okayed the IIMs’ plan for two merit lists — the first merit list would be for general category students and the second, to be brought out after the Supreme Court nod, for those on the quota list — felt there had to be broad political consensus on the issue. The UPA now plans to take it up with its Left allies tomorrow.

So as not to inconvenience students, the Government will let IIMs declare a merit list of 1,350 students in the first phase. This will be the same number of students admitted last year, minus the 27 per cent OBC quota.

In the second phase, the IIMs — as and when the quota law gets the Supreme Court green signal — will be declaring another list of 157 students (the increased intake for this year) which will take care of 27 per cent OBC seats and proportionate increase of SC and ST seats.

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