Section 3 of The Central Educational Institutions (Reservation in Admission) Act, 2006
Reservation of seats in Central Educational Institutions.
The reservation of seats in admission and its extent in a Central Educational Institution shall be provided in the following manner, namely:--
- (i)out of the annual permitted strength in each branch of study or faculty, fifteen per cent. seats shall be reserved for the Scheduled Castes;
- (ii)out of the annual permitted strength in each branch of study or faculty, seven and one-half per cent. seats shall be reserved for the Scheduled Tribes;
- (iii)out of the annual permitted strength in each branch of study or faculty, twenty-seven per cent. seats shall be reserved for the Other Backward Classes: 1 [Provided that the State seats, if any, in a Central Educational Institution situated in the tribal areas referred to in the Sixth Schedule to the Constitution shall be governed by such reservation policy for the Scheduled Castes, the Scheduled Tribes and the Other Backward Classes, as may be specified, by notification in the Official Gazette, by the Government of the State where such institution is situated: Provided further that if there are no State seats in a Central Educational Institution and the seats reserved for the Scheduled Castes exceed the percentage specified under clause (i) or the seats reserved for the Scheduled Tribes exceed the percentage specified under clause (ii) or the seats reserved for the Scheduled Castes and the Scheduled Tribes taken together exceed the sum of percentages specified under clauses (i) and (ii), but such seats are-- (a)less than fifty per cent. of the annual permitted strength on the date immediately preceding the date of commencement of this Act, the total percentage of the seats required to be reserved for the Other Backward Classes under clause (iii) shall be restricted to the extent such sum of percentages specified under clauses (i) and (ii) falls short of fifty percent.of the annual permitted strength;
- (b)more than fifty per cent. of the annual permitted strength on the date of immediately preceding the date of commencement of this Act, in that case no seats shall be reserved for the Other Backward Classes under clause (iii) but the extent of the reservation of seats for the Scheduled Castes and the Scheduled Tribes shall not be reduced in respect of Central Educational Institutions in the specified north-eastern region.].
Summary
- It reserves fifteen per cent of seats for the Scheduled Castes in each course or branch of study.
- It reserves seven and one-half per cent of seats for the Scheduled Tribes.
- It reserves twenty-seven per cent of seats for the Other Backward Classes.
- It allows state reservation policies to govern State seats in institutions located in tribal areas under the Sixth Schedule of the Constitution.
- It restricts or eliminates reservation for the Other Backward Classes if existing Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes reservations already exceed fifty per cent.
Practical examples
FAQ
1. What is the exact percentage of seats reserved for Scheduled Castes under Section 3?
The reservation for Scheduled Castes is fifteen per cent of the annual permitted strength.
2. What is the exact percentage reserved for the Other Backward Classes?
The reservation is twenty-seven per cent of the annual permitted strength.
3. How are State seats in tribal areas governed under this section?
They are governed by the reservation policy specified by the State Government of the state where the institution is situated, published in the Official Gazette.
4. What happens to OBC reservations if SC and ST reservations already exceed fifty per cent?
If SC and ST reservations taken together exceed fifty per cent of the annual permitted strength before the Act started, no seats are reserved for the Other Backward Classes.
Test yourself
1.What percentage of seats is reserved for the Scheduled Tribes under Section 3?
2.Under Section 3, what is the default percentage of seats reserved for the Other Backward Classes?
3.If there are no State seats, and the sum of SC and ST reservations exceeds 22.5% but is less than 50% immediately before the Act's commencement, how is the OBC reservation calculated?
4.What happens to OBC reservations if SC and ST reservations exceed 50% immediately preceding the commencement of the Act?
5.In which region are SC and ST reservations protected from reduction under Proviso (b) of Section 3?