Narendra Modi govt favours SC/ST quota in promotions? DoPT moots proposal

New Delhi: A proposal prepared by the Department of Personnel and Training (DoPT) has favoured quota in promotion for SC and ST employees in government jobs, reports said on Friday.

A Times of India report claimed that the proposal drafted by the DoPT, which has been presented to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, had suggested the Centre to provide reservation in promotion for SC and ST employees in government jobs.

In its proposal, the DoPT had underlined that underprivileged sections needed affirmative action. 

"For equal opportunity and inclusive growth, there is need for reservation in promotion to continue in favour of SCs and STs," the report quoted DoPT as saying.

Following a meeting chaired by PM Modi in March 2016 to deal with several judicial orders against reservation in promotion on the basis of a constitution bench verdict in the M Nagraj case in 2006, the DoPT was asked to prepare a report in this regard.

Delivering itys verdict in the M Nagraj case in 2006, the Constitutional Bench said, ''The Article 16(4A) was only an enabling provision, and not mandatory, which gave freedom to the state to provide for reservation in matters of promotion to SC and ST employees.''

The 2006 order further said that the provision could be enforced only after conditions - "backwardness", "inadequacy of representation" and "administrative efficiency" - were met for the intended beneficiaries.

The report noted that 15% and 7.5% representation of SCs and STs was not achieved in several departments.

The DoPT before preparing the report had consultation with the Attorney General and concluded that SCs/STs were economically, socially and educationally far behind other social groups in important parameters of development to justify affirmative action.

If adopted, the DoPT report will become a crucial tool for the Modi government in dealing with Supreme Court rulings, which have made it difficult for the Centre and state governments to reserve posts for SCs/STs in promotion.