CHENNAI: The Congress, VCK and CPM have demanded that the examination notification issued by the Institute of Banking of Personal Selection (IBPS) for recruiting probationary officers in banks should be withdrawn as the reservation for OBC, SC and ST communities was reduced to make room for EWS quota for forward castes.
On Wednesday, a news report titled, "EWS quota eats into OBC, SC/ST share in banking jobs" published in The New Indian Express highlighted the cut in the OBC, SC and ST quota in banking jobs while economically weaker sections of forward communities were given 10 percent.
Reacting to this report, DMK president M K Stalin said the BJP-led central government undermined the significance of social justice by reducing the combined reservation of OBC, SC and ST from 49.5 to 40 per cent in the banking examinations. "The move is highly condemnable," he said.
He recalled that the cut-off marks for the EWS quota were much lower than that of OBC and SC candidates in last year's UPSC examinations. "The Centre has prevented the chances of reserved category candidates to become IAS and IPS officers through implementation of EWS," said Stalin.
Reacting to this report, the state Congress unit chief KS Alagiri said the cut in reservation for reserved categories cannot be accepted and urged the Centre to resolve the issue at the earliest.
“When the cases against EWS quota are pending before the Supreme Court, the Centre hurriedly implemented it to the disadvantage of the reserved categories,” said Alagiri. He also charged that the Centre has failed to fulfill its promise on ensuring statutory share of reservation for OBC, SC and ST sections.
VCK chief Thol Thirumavalavan termed the decision to reduce the reservation for OBC, SC and ST a ‘betrayal’ and demanded action against the officials who issued such a notification.
By reducing the quota for OBC, SC and ST candidates, 142 posts were allocated to general category applicants, said Thirumavalavan, demanding withdrawal of the notification. He also warned that if the BJP government touched the ‘reservation’, it would face nationwide demonstrations.
Similarly, Balakrishnan of the CPM condemned the reduction of quota for reserved communities in banking and demanded withdrawal of the notification.
“Despite assurance that the EWS quota will not have any impact on the existing reservation, the quota for OBC, SC and ST was reduced. Those officials involved in this should be punished and the Centre should take required measures to ensure that the existing reservation is followed,” he said.