EWS issue to be tabled before K'taka cabinet after polls: Official

Bengaluru: The 10 per cent quota for the ‘economically-weaker’ section in general category is yet to take off in Karnataka, with a senior official saying it will come up before the state cabinet after polls, but the BJP has accused the Congress-JDS government of dragging its feet on the issue.

Social worker Babulal Bhandari, who has floated an organisation called the Karnataka Economically Weaker Section Welfare Association, said the National Testing Agency had made the provision for 10 per cent reservation in the mains of the Joint Entrance Exam (JEE) and the JEE Advanced.

“The EWS certificates are not being issued in Karnataka due to which eligible students are not able to avail the benefit. While it is being given in other states, in our state it is not implemented. It is an injustice to the Karnataka students,” Bhandari alleged.

Karnataka chief Secretary T M Vijay Bhaskar told PTI that once the elections are over, it will be presented before the cabinet.

After the cabinet nod, an order will be issued in this regard, he said.

Bhaskar clarified that the 10 per cent reservation was only for central government posts and not the state government posts.

“It is not in our state. Some candidates are asking for certain certificates to apply for the central government posts. It will be tabled before the cabinet after the elections,” Bhaskar said.

The Union government had brought the amendment to the Constitution in January, paving way for quota for the ‘economically-weaker’ section in the general category.

The revenue department officials confirmed that they recently received the notification from the Centre and have sent it to the backward class welfare department to go through the provisions in the new law and suggest it about its implementation.

“We sent the proposal to the BCWD only recently for its recommendation on how to implement it,” said a top officer in the department requesting anonymity.

Reacting to it, Rajya Sabha member and BJP leader Rajeev Chandrasekhar said the bill was passed by Parliament and it is applied to everybody in the country.

“However, the problem with the government of Karnataka is that it drags its feet on legitimate social requirement. Even when the law has been passed in the Parliament, the government of Karnataka will dither on it because of its politics or some other interests,” Chandrasekhar told PTI.

He said it was “unacceptable and shameful” that the people would miss the bus because of “politics”.