The Uttar Pradesh government on Friday approved 10% reservation for economically backward among upper castes in jobs and educational institutions.
The nod was given at a meeting here of the State Cabinet presided over by Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, senior Cabinet Minister and U.P. government spokesperson Shrikant Sharma told mediapersons.
Third State to do so
Uttar Pradesh became the third State after Gujarat and Jharkhand to approve the legislation which has to be ratified by at least half the State Assemblies in the country.
The Constitution (124 Amendment) Bill, 2019, providing for 10% reservation in jobs and educational institutions to the economically weaker sections in the general category was passed by Parliament in its recently concluded winter session.
President Ram Nath Kovind has since given his assent to the Bill.
“The Cabinet meeting presided over by Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath approved the notification granting 10% reservation to the poor among the upper castes which has come into effect on January 14,” Mr. Sharma said.
“The U.P. government will implement the quota for the upper castes fully without touching the reservation for other sections of society,” he said.
Meanwhile, a meeting between Deputy Chief Minister Dinesh Sharma, who holds the Higher Education portfolio, and State and private universities, approved a proposal for implementing the 10% reservation for upper caste poor in higher education institutions after the Cabinet approval.