HYC proposes 93 percent combined reservation for STs of Meghalaya

Syllad | The Rising MeghalayaOctober 3, 2024

The Hynniewtrep Youth Council (HYC) on Thursday proposed 93 percent combined reservation for the scheduled tribes of the state.

Submitting the suggestions to the Expert Committee on the State Reservation Policy during a public hearing here, HYC president Roykupar Synrem said, “We are of the opinion that based on the ratio of population of Khasi-Jaintia community, the reservation should be 50% for Khasi-Jaintia, the Garo category should be retained at 40% and other STs category be given 3% reservation. And alternatively, we have also suggested that for competition amongst STs of the State 93% combined reservation should be provided to the STs of the State, 2% to the SCs and 5% be left as unreserved category.”

Synrem also said that the HYC is of the opinion that the present Job Reservation Policy should not be implemented or extended for reservation in admissions into the educational institutions and for pursuing higher studies outside the State in a Government quota.

“Further, we are of the opinion that the State Government should enact a separate legislation as per Article 15 (4) to the Constitution of India for the purpose of reservation in admissions in the educational institutions and for pursuing higher studies outside the State in a Government quota. If the government legislate a separate legislation for this purpose, then we are of the opinion that 93% combined reservation for STs, 2% for SCs and 5% for unreserved should be followed,” he said while adding “At the District level posts we are of the opinion that the combined reservation for STs needs to be retained. The reservation should be increase to 93% for the STs of the State in a particular District, 2% to the SCs and 5% to unreserved category.”

He said that the Meghalaya State Reservation Policy has clubbed together STs and SCs under one category i.e. other STs and SCs are clubbed together for 5% reservation. We are of the opinion that this is highly illegal and we suggest that this should be done away with and that reservation for other STs and SCs of the state should be categorise as 3% to other STs and 2% to the SCs instead of a combined 5% reservation.

Further, Synrem said that the present Reservation policy does not provide reservation in scientific services and posts. However, the meaning of Scientific services and posts has not been defined clearly in the Policy.

“Hence, we are of the opinion that the meaning of Scientific services and posts has to be properly defined and also there is a need to categorize the jobs/services/posts which can be categories under Scientific services and posts,” he said.

He also pointed out that the provision in the Policy which provides for ‘carry-forward’ to the subsequent recruitment years on the account that any of the reserved category could not be filled up during the process of recruitment should be done away with and the unfilled posts should be filled up by other reserved category based on merit.

For example if reserved Category-A cannot be filled up during the recruitment process of a particular year, then whatever percentage left over from Category-A should be filled up by the candidates from the reserved Category B or C based on merit and the same should not be adjusted in the next recruitment process.

The provision in the Policy which provides for special recruitment only for selection of candidates from under-represented groups should be done away with, he stated.