Agencies
New Delhi, Feb 2:
The CPI(M) on Saturday sought withdrawal of the government's reported decision to set the criteria of 60 per cent marks for scheduled caste and tribe students to get post-metric scholarships, saying it was against the norms of social justice.
"The Finance Ministry and Planning Commission who are instrumental in pushing for this decision are trying to impose their flawed understanding to cut subsidies, in this instance at the cost of dalit and tribal students," the party Polit Bureau said in a statement here.
Observing that the percentage of such students in professional institutions was already "dismally low", it said such a decision was "against the norms of social justice" and would "lead to further marginalisation" of students belonging to the oppressed sections.
Demanding withdrawal of the decision, the party urged the government to bring an appropriate central legislation to bring private institutions under social control in key areas like fees and admissions.
In this context, CPI(M) Polit Bureau member and MP Brinda Karat on Saturday met Social Justice Minister Meira Kumar and raised the issue. She was accompanied by a team of leaders of the Students Federation of India (SFI).
"This is part of the government's drive to enforce subsidy cuts which will be at the cost of the dalit and tribal students. It is highly objectionable," she said and demanded reversal of the decision.
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