CPM, PMK seek withdrawal of draft UGC guidelines on de-reserving posts in Universities
Unfilled vacancies in the reserved category in the higher education institutions would be moved to a general category if no suitable candidates were available for appointment.
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CHENNAI: CPM and PMK on Sunday sought the withdrawal of draft University Grants Commission (UGC) guidelines on the implementation of the reservation that allows the de-reservation of reserved vacancies for BC, SC and ST candidates in the higher education institutes.
CPM general secretary Sitaram Yechury called the draft guidelines the most retrograde step in line with the "Manuvadi anti-Dalit and anti-Adivasi social structure" promoted by the Modi regime.
In a social media post, he said that by declaring no SC/ST qualifies, positions are de-reserved to perpetuate caste-based oppression. He sought withdrawal of the draft.
In a statement, Dr Ramadoss termed the draft guidelines as a conspiracy to do away with reservation in the higher education institutions.
He said that the UGC has released draft guidelines on what circumstances the reserved vacancies could be de-reserved in the higher education institutions like IIT, IIM and Central Universities.
As per the draft guidelines of the UGC, any unfilled vacancies in the reserved category in the higher education institutions would be moved to a general category if no suitable candidates were available for appointment.
However, in rare and exceptional cases when a vacancy in a Group A service cannot be allowed to remain vacant in the public interest., the University concerned may prepare a proposal for de-reservation of the vacancy. The proposal for de-reservation in the case of Group 'C' or 'D' should be submitted to the executive council of the university and in the case of Group 'A' or 'B', it should be submitted to the Union Education Ministry.
PMK founder said that there could be no doubt that the move by the University Grants Commission is a death knell for social justice.
"IIT Madras has a total of 596 teachers as Professors, Associate Professors and Assistant Professors as of March 2021. Out of them, the number of OBCs is only 62, i.e. 10.40 per cent while the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes constitute only 2.68 per cent and 0.5 per cent only. Similar is the situation with other IITs and IIMs in India, " he said, calling the move to de-reserve the vacancies as social injustice. He sought the union government's intervention to withdraw the draft guidelines.
