Monday, August 21 2006 15:38 Hrs (IST) - World Time -

New Delhi: The cabinet is likely to pave way Monday for introducing in parliament a bill providing 27 percent reservation for other backward classes (OBCs) in government-aided institutes of higher education.

The cabinet would deliberate on the draft legislation prepared by the human resource development (HRD) ministry to implement this proposal, Government sources said. The government is likely to introduce this bill in the current session of parliament once the cabinet clears it, official sources said.

The draft bill has been prepared on the basis of the recommendations of an Oversight Committee headed by former Karnataka Chief Minister and senior Congress leader Veerappa Moily.

The draft bill covers institutions like Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) and Indian Institute of Management (IIM). "Our aim is to implement the OBC quota in these institutions from the next academic session," a senior HRD ministry official said.

Though there have been voices of dissent from some quarters on this issue, most of the political parties are expected to support the bill in the parliament, government sources said.

A separate draft bill introducing 27 percent quota for OBCs in the unaided institution is likely to be introduced at a later stage. The draft of this second piece of legislation is being finalised by the HRD ministry, a ministry official said. The second draft bill would be taken up once the Moily committee comes out with a roadmap for implementing OBC quota system in unaided institutions, the official informed.