Punjab Govt to Increase Seats Reserved for OBC Students to 10%

In contrast to the UP Government’s decision to remove reservation from private medical colleges, the Punjab Government is planning to increase the number of seats reserved for the OBC category students.

The Government of Punjab announced that it will increase the reservation for Other Backward Classes (OBC) by 10% in educational institutes. The announcement was made on Wednesday, April 19, 2017. Currently, the reservation for OBC category students in colleges across the state is 5%.

An official spokesperson informed that the reservation quota for OBC students has also been increased in various technical and professional institutions in Punjab. The official also added that the step has been taken to ensure the upliftment of backward classes of the community.

The changes in the reservation scheme will be implemented immediately as a notification regarding the same has been issued to this effect by the Welfare Department.

Also Read:UP Government Ends SC, ST & OBC Reservation Quota in the State's Private Medical & Dental Colleges

In its election manifesto, the state government led by Capt. Amarinder Singh had promised that it will introduce changes in the system to uplift the OBCs and Dalit communities. The Punjab Government had also promised to revise reservation policies in educational institutes.

The spokesperson further informed that the change in OBC reservation policy will not impact the reservation quota for SC and ST category students. ST/SC reservation at educational institutes will remain 25%.

In March 1964, the Punjab Government had introduced the reservation quota of 20% and 2% seats for SC and ST students. These regulations were revised in 1974 when the state government increased the quota by 5%.

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Last week, the new Government of Uttar Pradesh has ended reservation for ST, SC and OBC category students in all private medical students across the state.