Lok Sabha Question No. 64 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2019-02-04
Subject: Reservation for EWS Category
Ministry: HUMAN RESOURCE DEVELOPMENT
Asked by: L.R. Shivaramegowda, ANJU BALA, PONNUSAMY VENUGOPAL, GOPALAKRISHNAN CHINNARAJ, PARASURAMAN K., RAKSHA NIKHIL KHADSE, Tejpratap Singh,Yadav

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF HUMAN RESOURCE DEVELOPMENT

## DEPARTMENT OF HIGHER EDUCATION LOK SABHA

UNSTARRED QUESTION No.64

TO BE ANSWERED ON 04.02.2019

## Reservation for EWS Category

64. SHRI L.R. SHIVARAME GOWDA: SHRIMATI ANJU BALA: DR. P. VENUGOPAL: DR. C. GOPALAKRISHNAN: SHRI K. PARASURAMAN: SHRIMATI RAKSHATAI KHADSE: SHRI TEJ PRATAP SINGH YADAV:

Will the Minister of HUMAN RESOURCE DEVELOPMENT be pleased to state:

- (a)  whether  the  Government  is  planning  to  implement  10  percent  reservation  for Economically Weaker Section (EWS) of general category from 2019 academic session and increase of 25 percent seats in higher educational institutions and if so, the details thereof;
- (b) whether the Government has rolled out the operation manuals for the implementation of EWS Quota for General Category in higher educational institutions and if so, the details thereof;
- (c) whether this quota would be over and above existing quotas for Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes and Other Backward Castes to implement the quota for admissions in the upcoming academic year and if so, the details thereof; and
- (d) the other major steps taken by the Government in the higher education sector in the country during the last three years and the current year?

## ANSWER

MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF HUMAN RESOURCE DEVELOPMENT (Dr. SATYA PAL SINGH)

- (a)  &  (b):  The  one  hundred  and  third  Constitutional  Amendment  Act,  2019  has enabled  the  State  to  extend  various  benefits,  including  admission  in  the  educational institutions, to the Economically Weaker Sections of the society who are not covered by any of the existing schemes of reservation.

Accordingly, the Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment has issued an OM dated  17 th January,  2019  regarding  reservation  for  Economically  Weaker  Sections

(EWSs)  in  civil  posts  and  services  in  the  Government  of  India  and  admission  in Educational Institutions.

Further,  for  the  implementation  thereof,  the  Ministry  of  Human  Resource Development  (MHRD)  has  issued  an  OM  dated  17 th January,  2019,  to  provide admission  to  EWSs  in  Central  Educational  Institution  (CEI)  from  the  academic  year 2019-20 onwards.

In order to ensure that the number of seats available for each category, for the academic  session immediately preceding the date  of  commencement  of  these provisions, is not reduced every CEI will increase the number of seats over and above its annual permitted strength in each branch of study or faculty.

(c):  Yes,  madam.  The  available  seats  for  admission  in  the  upcoming  academic  year shall  be  increased  to  ensure  that  this  quota  for  EWS  would  be  over  and  above  the ensuing quotas for scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes and Other Backward Classes for admission in the upcoming academic year.

(d):  Several major reforms have been undertaken by the Government to improve the quality of teaching and learning in the higher education sector. As per report of the All India  Survey  on  Higher  Education  (AISHE),  the  Gross  Enrolment  Ratio  in  higher education  in  the  age  group  18-23  years  has  gone  up  to  25.8%  with  total  enrolment estimated to be 36.6 million during 2017-18, as compared to 23% with total enrolment estimated to 32.3 million, during 2013-14. There has been a continuous increase in the funds disbursed by the UGC to the Universities and Colleges.  The funds disbursed to Universities  during  the  last  three  years  i.e.  2015-16,  2016-17  and  2017-18  are Rs.888628.43, Rs. 905882.26 and Rs. 1084058.52 respectively.

Several initiatives are undertaken to improve the quality of teaching and learning. Rashtriya Uchchatar Shiksha Abhiyan (RUSA), Global Initiative for Academics Network (GIAN), Impacting Research, Innovation & Technology (IMPRINT), Technical Education Quality  Improvement  Programme  (TEQIP),  Pandit  Madan  Mohan  Malaviya  National Mission on Teachers and Teaching (PMMMNMTT), Study Webs of Active-Learning for Young Aspiring Minds (SWAYAM), National Digital Library, campus connect programme, Uchhatar Avishkar Yojana, Unnat Bharat Abhiyan (UBA), Annual Refresher Programme  in Teaching (ARPIT), and Leadership for Academicians Programme (LEAP)  are being implemented.

Further for promotion of innovation, cognitive thinking and improving the quality of Ph.D programmes, the Government has devised schemes in all the fields of education viz. IMPRINT (Impacting Research Innovation and Technology) for technical research, IMPRESS (Impactful Policy Research in Social Sciences) for social sciences research, SPARC  (Scheme  for  Promotion  of  Academic  Research  and  Collaboration)  for  joint research  with  Foreign  Universities  and  STARS  (Scheme  for  Transformational  and Advanced Research in Fundamental Sciences) for research in fundamental sciences.

The  UGC  has  also  started  three  schemes,  namely  Community  College,  B.Voc Degree Programme, and Deen Dayal Upadhay KAUSHAL Kendras in Universities and Colleges for imparting skill development based vocational courses offering Certificate/Diploma/Advance  Diploma/B.Voc  M.Voc  and  Research  level  programme with multiple exit and entry options enabling vertical mobility of the students.

Considering that autonomy is pivotal to promoting excellence in higher education, the University Grants Commission (Categorization of Universities (only) for grant of Graded Autonomy) Regulations, 2018 and the University Grants Commission (Conferment of Autonomous Status Upon Colleges and Measures for Maintenance of Standards  in  Autonomous  Colleges)  Regulations,  2018  have  been  notified.  These Regulations  will  provide  the  much  needed  impetus  to  improve  quality  and  promote autonomy in higher educational institutions.

The parameters of Assessment and Accreditation have been revised by National Assessment and Accreditation Council (NAAC), which focus more on public disclosures than  peer  inspections.  Further,  owing  to  the  constraints  in  the  existing  capacity  for accreditation,  the  University  Grants  Commission  (Recognition  and  Monitoring  of Assessment  and  Accreditation  Agencies)  Regulation,  2018  has  been  notified  to encourage multiple government/semi-government agencies for accreditation of higher educational institutions.

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