Supreme Court puts stay on OBC quota in premiere institutes
New Delhi: The Supreme Court has stayed the implementation of the law providing for 27 per cent quota for Other Backward Classes (OBCs) in premium educational institutions like the IITs and IIMs for 2007-08.

The SC said however, that the quota for SC/STs could be implemented by the Centre in these educational institutions and passed this interim order on a batch of petitions challenging the Constitutional validity of the Central Educational Institutions (Reservation in Admission) Act, 2006 providing for 27 per cent quota for OBCs.

The Bench said there is need for periodical identification of the backward citizens and for this purpose the need for survey of entire population on the basis of an acceptable mechanism. What may have been relevant in 1931 census may have some relevance but cannot be the determinative factor. Backwardness has to be based on objective factors whereas inadequacy has to factually exist.

The Bench said, "Though it is submitted that the number of seats available for the general category is not affected, but that is really no answer to the broader issue. If there is possibility of increase in seats in the absence of reservation, it could have gone to the general category."

It said: "If the stand of the ASG is accepted that the exercise was not intended to be undertaken immediately and the increase would be staggered over a period of three years, it could not be explained as to why a firm database could not be evolved first, so that the exercise could be undertaken thereafter. By increasing the number of seats for the purpose of reservation unequals are treated as equals."

The Bench also said: "It has also to be noted that nowhere else in the world do castes, classes or communities queue up for the sake of gaining backward status. Nowhere else in the world is there competition to assert backwardness and then to claim we are more backward than you."
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Industrial policy for north eastern States gets Govt nod
New Delhi: The government has included the state of Sikkim in its North East Industrial and Investment Promotion Policy, 2007. The policy has doubled the capital investment subsidy from 15 per cent of the investment in plant and machinery to 30 per cent. The automatic approval for this subsidy has been raised from Rs30 lakh per unit to Rs1.5 crore per unit.

The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs today gave its approval for this policy, under which tax incentives for a period of 10 years would be extended to new as well as existing industrial units, which opt for expansion, in the region.

However, tobacco and tobacco products, pan masala, plastic carry bags and goods produced by refineries would not be eligible for incentives.
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US hikes visas for Indian students
New Delhi: The US on Thursday said it planned to increase the number of visas for Indian students and also speed up the visa issuance process. This is due to concerns over the decrease in the percentage of Indian students going to America for higher studies.

Karen P Hughes, US Under Secretary for Public Diplomacy and Public Affairs, said ""We have increased the number of visas for Indian students and we want to further increase the number," Hughes said.

Hughes is on a week-long visit to India, heading a delegation of six US university presidents in an effort to expand educational partnerships with India.

The delegation called on Human Resource Development Minister Arjun Singh to discuss two-way students' exchange programmes with India.
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Govt will not ban private traders from wheat market
New Delhi: Food and agriculture minister Sharad Pawar has dismissed suggestions that private companies were being restricted to enable state-run Food Corporation of India (FCI) meet its procurement target of 151 lakh tonnes for this year. However, he said private traders needed to furnish details about their stock position if they purchase more than 50,000 tonnes of wheat in a year, Pawar said.

According to industry officials, the government had urged private traders not to enter the wheat market for a few weeks till its procurement gains momentum.

On wheat production estimate, Pawar said the overall position of wheat is good and the output in 2006-07 would cross 72.6 million tonnes against 68.5 million tonnes a year ago.
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