Save Merit, Save Nation was set up by people concerned about the decreasing number of seats for open category students in schools, colleges and jobs. (Representational Image)The ‘Save Merit, Save Nation’ group of doctors, medical students and others who are against “excessive reservation” will conduct a peace march on September 14 to press for their demand to retain 50 per cent ‘open’ category reservation in education institutes.
The Socially and Economically Backward Class (SEBC) Act brought the quantum of reservation to 12 per cent in education and 13 per cent in jobs, thereby increasing the percentage of total reservation to 74 per cent in education and 75 per cent in jobs. Lateral quotas like handicapped, defence and central government servants are included, leaving only approximately 1 out of 10 seats for the open category. This creates a divide in society, said members of the Pune unit of Save Merit, Save Nation.
Professor Abhay Abhyankar, a member of the Pune unit, said the aim of their movement was to involve people who believe in the cause of “merit first”. “We want Supreme Court guidelines of 50 per cent capping to be respected in education and jobs. Fifty per cent for merit and 50 per cent for upliftment through economic criteria as per a weighted indexing system should be made applicable not only to ensure unbiased justice to all but also to maintain quality in all sectors,” said Save Merit, Save Nation in a statement.
Save Merit, Save Nation was set up by people concerned about the decreasing number of seats for open category students in schools, colleges and jobs. A number of open category caste associations in Maharashtra, which constitute more than 48 per cent of the state’s population, have united to join under the forum.
