20,000 higher secondary seats for poor among forward communities

Higher secondary admission
Representation image | Shutterstock images

Thiruvananthapuram: The Kerala Government has decided to provide 10 percent reservation for students belonging to economically backward among forward communities for admissions in first-year higher secondary and vocational higher secondary courses as in the previous academic year.

The decision has been taken in view of Advocate General's opinion that it would not go against the Supreme Court verdict. The students belonging to this category would get about 20,000 seats.

The reservation for forward communities in higher secondary courses was introduced last year. SC,ST,OBC and minority communities put together have 48 percent reservation in higher secondary seats. With 10 percent reservation for the forward communities, the total number of seats for the general category has shrunk to 48 percent.

This had led to a situation wherein the SC bar on total reservation exceeding 50 percent has been breached.

The Education Department had approached the Law Department pointing out the issue and sent the file to the Chief Minister for a policy decision.

Subsequently, the government sought legal opinion on the matter from the Advocate General. According to AG's opinion the 10 percent reservation for forward communities is meant for the general category and it need not be clubbed with the reservation for other categories.

Under these circumstances the prospectus for Plus-One admissions containing the guidelines for the forward communities reservation, will be published on Tuesday. The admission process will begin on August 24.

Increased seats to come within quota purview
The Education Department had informed earlier that in view of the spurt in the number of students who passed the SSLC exams, higher secondary schools from Kasaragod to Palakkad would be allowed an additional 20 percent seats. There would be only 10 percent increase in seats in schools located in other districts. However, the Cabinet approval for the additional seats is still awaited.

The reservation for forward communities would be implemented taking these higher number seats also into account.

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