Maratha Reservation Bill For 10% Quota In Education, Jobs Passed By Maharashtra Assembly

The Maratha Reservation Bill, advocating for a 10 percent quota in education and employment opportunities for Marathas, has been approved in the Maharashtra Assembly.

Activist Manoj Jarange (Left), CM Eknath Shinde (Right)

Mumbai: During a day-long special session of the legislature focused on the Maratha quota, the Maharashtra legislative assembly unanimously passed a bill providing 10 percent reservation for the Maratha community in education and government jobs. Chief Minister Eknath Shinde presented the Maharashtra State Socially and Educationally Backward Bill 2024 in the House. The bill also suggested that a review of the reservation could be conducted after 10 years once it comes into effect, as reported by PTI.

Maratha quota activist Manoj Jarange, who commenced a hunger strike on February 10, had demanded the convening of a special session to address the issue.

The government recently issued a draft notification stipulating that if a Maratha individual possesses documentary proof demonstrating belonging to the agrarian Kunbi community, their 'sage soyre' or blood relatives would also be eligible for Kunbi caste certificates. The Kunbi community is categorized under Other Backward Classes (OBCs), and Jarange has been advocating for Kunbi certificates to be issued to all Marathas.

Maharashtra cabinet minister Chhagan Bhujbal has opposed the "backdoor entry" of Marathas into the OBC quota but supports a separate reservation for the community.

The Maharashtra State Backward Class Commission submitted a report on Friday regarding its survey on the social, economic, and educational backwardness of the Maratha community. The comprehensive survey encompassed nearly 2.5 crore families.

One of the key findings in the bill tabled by CM Shinde underscores that the Maratha community constitutes 28 percent of the state's population. Among the total Maratha families below the poverty line, 21.22 percent hold yellow ration cards, surpassing the state's average of 17.4 percent.

The state government's survey conducted between January and February this year revealed that 84 percent of Maratha community families do not fall under the progressed category, making them eligible for reservation as per the Indra Sawhney case, as per the bill's provisions. Additionally, the bill noted that 94 percent of total farmer suicides in Maharashtra involve Maratha families.