Maharashtra announces 1% quota for Covid orphans in education, govt jobs

MUMBAI: The Maharashtra cabinet on Wednesday announced 1% reservations in education and government jobs for Covid orphans.

The Minister for Women and Child Development and Welfare Yashomati Thakur had mooted this proposal of giving 1% reservations in education and government jobs for children whose parents died due to Covid. 

As per the government records, Maharashtra has 401 Covid orphans.

Yashomati Thakur further said that they have taken the decision of 1% reservations to orphan children on the line of quota to the disabled kids.

“The women and child welfare departments will pay off the fees of these orphans for their primary, secondary and higher education,” Thakur said.

Maharashtra government has made three categories of Covid orphans. The A category of orphans are those whose parents died due to Covid, and they do not have any information of their relatives, siblings, and residence. 

The B category Covid orphans are the ones who belong to SC, ST, and OBC communities but have no sufficient documents to prove that.

The C category orphans are those who have relatives from their father's side.

“The A and B category orphan children will have reservations in educations as well as in government jobs of remaining vacant seats. While the C category orphan children will reservations in educations, but not in the government job. We will issue them orphan certificates so they will not face any issue while seeking admission and jobs in government,” explained the minister.