Congress Urges Modi Govt to Implement Article 15(5) in Winter Session

Quick Summary

• The Congress party has demanded the introduction of a law implementing Article 15(5) in the next Parliament session, ensuring reservation for SCs, STs, and OBCs in private educational institutions.
• The demand is supported by findings of a Parliamentary Standing Committee report highlighting underrepresentation: 0.89% Scheduled Castes, 0.53% Scheduled Tribes, and 11.16% OBC students in private institutions.
• Congress leaders Rajendra Pal Gautam, Vikrant Bhuria, and Anil Jaihind addressed a joint press conference stressing the need for this legislation to promote social equality.
• Congress cited various court rulings between 2008 and 2014 that upheld the validity of reservations in private educational institutions under Article 15(5).
• Leaders criticized the Modi government for no action on this issue over the past decade despite recommendations from committees and court rulings.
• Allegations were made that government education systems are being dismantled to favor privatization while neglecting constitutional provisions for marginalized communities.

Indian Opinion Analysis

The demand to implement Article 15(5) highlights critical equity issues surrounding access to higher education for marginalized communities such as SCs,STs,and OBCs. With statistics showcasing stark underrepresentation in private institutions-less than one percent representation among Dalit and Adivasi students-the issue underscores systemic gaps hampering India’s pursuit of social justice through affirmative action policies.

Court validations since 2008 affirm legal compliance with these provisions; however, delays in legislative implementation reflect broader governance challenges regarding inclusion-oriented reforms. If pursued earnestly during upcoming parliamentary sessions as demanded by opposition leaders like Congress representatives, such legislation could address structural inequalities-but it remains uncertain whether political will aligns with such aspirations amidst growing privatization concerns raised by critics.

Read more: Congress seeks law for SC/ST quota in private non-minority educational institutions