Kerala - Thiruvananthapuram   

Panel to conduct more studies

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The commission for suggesting the criteria for determining the creamy layer among Backward Classes will examine experts and conduct studies to arrive at its final recommendations, its chairman Rajendra Babu has said.

The chairman told The Hindu here on Monday that the commission’s interim report, submitted on Sunday, had only looked at whether the criteria adopted by the Centre could be followed for reservation in State services and educational institutions. It did not examine other factors.

In view of the revision of the income level for determining the creamy layer by the Centre, the State government had asked the commission whether the criteria notified by the Centre could be adopted in Kerala also. The commission recommended that the criteria could be adopted till it submits its final report.

Mr. Rajendra Babu said that it might take the commission some time to prepare the final report. It has sought details of advices given by the Public Service Commission during the last ten years. Some communities are yet to have significant representation in government service. (That needs to be looked into on the basis of the data on appointments.) It would also like to hear economists and other experts on the status of the Backward Classes and related issues.

Besides, the commission will examine whether exemption given to certain communities from creamy layer norms should reconsidered. Certain groups among fishermen communities and others such as the Viswakarmas, engaged in hereditary occupations, enjoy exemption from the norms. (This means that all members of these communities would get reservation in government service and educational institutions irrespective of their income). The Supreme Court, in its last judgment, had directed that such total exemption given to these communities should be reviewed.

The commission, he said, has not recommended any change in the norms that apply to government employees. Class I and Class II officers in government service are treated as creamy layer (and their wards are ineligible for reservation). Class II and Class IV employees, on the other hand, are not in the creamy layer bracket. However, they would be treated as creamy layer if they have incomes exceeding Rs.4.5 lakh a year from properties or other sources excluding agriculture income.

The Rajendra Babu Commission was appointed on the basis of a Supreme Court order, with P.K. Madhavan Nair and Abdul Wahab as members. The court had struck down the income limit fixed at Rs.3 lakh a year by the government earlier on the basis of the recommendations of the Narendran Commission. After examining the issues, the new commission proposed that the limit should be brought down to Rs.2.5 lakh a year, on a par with the limit fixed by the Central government. This norm was brought into effect from September last year. After the Centre raised the limit to 4.5 lakhs a year, the government wanted the commission to submit a fresh recommendation.

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