Rajasthan notifies quota for Gujjars, SBCs

Jaipur: Rajasthan government has issued a notification to provide five per cent quota to Gujjars and other Special Backward Classes (SBC) for which the Assembly has passed a bill last month.

The notification, issued last night by the Department of Personnel, states that Rajasthan Specific Backward Classes (Reservation of seats in Educational Institutions in the state and of Appointment and Posts under the state) Act, 2015 (Act No 32) comes into effect from October 16, an official said on Saturday.

The said Act shall come into force from October 16, 2015, he said.

The Act will provide 5 per cent reservation in jobs and educational institutes to Gujjars, Banjara, Raibari, and Gadiya Lohar communities in the state.

On September 22, the state assembly had passed two separate bills for providing five per cent quota to SBC, and 14 per cent to Economically Backward Classes (EBC) of unreserved categories, sparking a controversy as it crossed the 50 per cent quota cap.

The second bill of EBC is yet to be get the Rajasthan Governor's approval.

Criticising the government's move, Congress leader Sachin Pilot had said it was a "tragedy" that despite knowing very well that there is no provision in the Constitution for economically backward people to get reservation, the BJP government has made a "farcical attempt".