Patna, Bihar: Ahead of the upcoming Bihar Assembly elections, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi announced the “Most Backward Justice Manifesto” on Thursday, pledging a series of measures to empower Scheduled Castes (SC), Scheduled Tribes (ST), Other Backward Classes (OBC), and Extremely Backward Classes (EBC). The initiative, part of the INDIA bloc’s joint efforts, focuses on social justice and increasing the participation of these communities, particularly in education.
In a post on social media, Gandhi accused the BJP of using “lies and diversionary conspiracies” and reiterated his party’s commitment to ensuring “full rights” for backward and marginalized communities. He highlighted education as a key tool for progress and outlined specific proposals:
- Reservations in Private Institutions: The manifesto promises to extend reservations to private colleges and universities. Additionally, it states that half of the reserved seats in private schools will be allocated to children from SC, ST, OBC, and EBC backgrounds.
- Ending Discriminatory Practices: The manifesto aims to end the practice of “Not Found Suitable” (NFS) in appointments. This term has been used by selection committees, particularly in university faculty recruitments, to deny positions to qualified candidates from reserved categories, leaving numerous posts vacant. A parliamentary panel has recently criticized the use of this label, calling it an unfair tool that excludes SC and ST candidates.
The Congress leader assured that these promises are “not just about education, but the fight for equality and dignity” and are a “true guarantee of social justice and equitable development.”
Priyanka Vadra, another prominent Congress leader, also spoke about the INDIA bloc’s 10-point resolution for the EBC community. This resolution includes promises such as a new law to prevent atrocities against EBCs, increased reservation in local bodies, and special benefits for education, housing, and government contracts if the bloc forms the government in Bihar.
The manifesto is seen as a strategic move to appeal to the significant EBC population in Bihar, which accounts for approximately 36% of the state’s population. It also seeks to challenge the existing power dynamics in the state’s politics, which have historically favored certain dominant castes within the OBC category.
Statistics on Representation in Higher Education:
- Overall Representation: According to the All India Survey on Higher Education (AISHE) 2021-22, SC students account for 15.5% of total enrollment in both government and private institutions, ST students for 6.4%, and OBC students for 38.9%.
- Disparity in Private vs. Public Institutions: A significant disparity exists between the representation of marginalized groups in public versus private institutions. In public universities, which are mandated to follow reservation policies, SC representation is 14.6%, ST is 6%, and OBC is 31.2%. In contrast, upper-caste Hindus, who make up about 20% of the population, constitute over 60% of students in private universities. Meanwhile, SCs account for 8% and STs for 6% of the student body in private universities. The proposed policy aims to address this imbalance.