By Our Reporter
SHILLONG, Oct 18: The UDP on Friday said it expects the expert committee on reservation policy to submit recommendations that are just, fair and free from discrimination.
“We hope that the expert committee, after soliciting opinions and views from different groups and individuals, will come out with the best formula which will be acceptable to all categories of populations in the state,” UDP general secretary Jemino Mawthoh said.
Stating that the UDP was the first to submit its observations and suggestions, he said, “We had done a lot of homework by consulting academicians and legal experts and put forth our observations on the roster system. Overall, we had eight observations.”
The UDP pitched for increasing the combined reservation slab for the Khasi-Jaintia and Garo people from the current 80% to 83% due to the increase in the Scheduled Tribes population.
Earlier Mawthoh had stated, “We want the reservation policy to be reviewed objectively without discriminating against anyone. We want it to be acceptable to all.”
“If we consider the Census data, the state’s ST population increased from about 80% in 1971 to almost 86% in 2011. It would, thus, be justifiable if the combined reservation percentage for the Khasi-Jaintia and Garo people is increased from 80% to 83% due to an increase in the ST population,” he said.
Suggesting that the Census data may guide the committee to arrive at a plausible division of percentage between the Khasi-Jaintia and Garo communities, Mawthoh said, “For recruitment at the district level where the post is not transferable in nature, 85% reservation for Khasi-Jaintia and Garo should be given to the permanent residents who speak the local language.”
He said there should not be any compromise on the quality of education and merit should be the basis for selecting teachers, especially of English and STEM subjects.