Context

Cabinet approves “The Central Educational Institutions (Reservation in Teachers' Cadre) Bill, 2019". The New Bill will be introduced in the forthcoming session of Parliament.

About

Background:

• Last year, the University Grants Commission (UGC) announced that an individual department should be considered as the base unit to calculate the number of teaching posts to be reserved for the Scheduled Caste and Scheduled Tribe candidates.
• This decision was based on an order of the Allahabad High Court in 2017.
• However, the bill approved recently introduces a 200-point roster system, as against the 13-point system the Allahabad High Court had ordered.
• The 200-point roster system makes the university or other educational institution the unit for reservation of posts in direct recruitment in teachers’ cadre, not the department.

Aim of the bill:

• This decision will address the long standing demands of persons belonging to SCs/STs/SEBCs and ensure their rights envisaged under the Constitution.
• It will also ensure providing of 10% reservation to EWS.
• Enhancing the education sector of the country.

Impact:

• A total of 7000 existing vacancies will be filled through direct recruitment in Teacher’s Cadre across the country.
• Ensure compliance of the Constitutional Provisions of Articles 14, 16 and 21.
• Ensure full representation of Scheduled Castes/ Scheduled Tribes Socially and Educationally Backward Classes and Economically Weaker Sections in direct recruitment in teachers' cadres.
• Expected to improve the teaching standards in the higher educational institutions by attracting all eligible talented candidates belonging to SCs/STs/SEBCs/EWS.

Implications:

• The Bill will replace "The Central Educational Institutions (Reservation in Teachers' Cadre) Ordinance, 2019".

Implementation:

• It will consider the University/ College as one unit restoring earlier reservation system based on 200 point roster. No longer will 'Department / Subject' be treated as one unit.
• The unit for reservation of posts in direct recruitment in teachers' cadre will be the University/Educational Institutions and not the Department.
• The Cabinet decision will address the long standing demands of persons belonging to SCs/STs/SEBCs and ensure their rights envisaged under the Constitution.
• It will also ensure providing of 10% reservation to EWS.

The Constitution (One Hundred and Twenty-Fourth Amendment) Bill, 2019 was introduced and passed by Parliament in January, 2019. The Bill seeks to provide for the advancement of economically weaker sections of citizens. The reservation of up to 10% for “economically weaker sections” in educational institutions and public employment will be in addition to the existing reservation.