Central quota rule for teacher test creates confusion

Central quota rule for teacher test creates confusion

Ram.Sundaram@timesgroup.com

Chennai:08.06.2021

Inclusion of noncreamy layer OBC as a category for reservation in the Tamil Nadu State Eligibility Test (TNSET) has caused confusion among thousands of aspiring teachers.

This is because under the state government’s 69% reservation policy, a distinction is not made between “creamy layer” and “non-creamy layer” as the Centre does. However, Annamalai University, which is conducting TNSET 2021 to recruit assistant professors in state universities and college, has made this distinction in the application forms.

Online registrations begin from Monday. A minimum of 55% at the Masters level is the eligibility criteria. There is a 5% relaxation for candidates belonging to socially backward communities. Until last year, this 5% relaxation was provided to Backward Class (BC), Most Backward Class (MBC), Scheduled Caste (SC), and Scheduled Tribe (ST) candidates. This year, Annamalai University’s notification mentioned SC, ST and Other Backward Class (OBC) as noncreamy layer candidates.

G Uday Shankar, an applicant from Madurai, said that while the first half of the notification mentions providing 5% relaxation for OBC noncreamy layer candidates, there is no such mention in the second half. Instead, it uses the terms MBC and BC while discussing fees and results.

G Karunanidhy, general secretary of All-India Federation of OBC Employees' Welfare Association said, "According to Tamil Nadu's existing 69% reservation rule, there is no such category called OBC non-creamy layer. The state did not accept this reservation concept adopted by the Union government in its recruitment drives."

When asked about this, SS Sivashankar, Tamil Nadu Backward Class Welfare Minister, said that the issue was brought to his attention on Monday morning and he has asked officials to check.

"Since Annamalai University's vice-chancellor post is vacant, we are trying to contact the committee formed to monitor the application process to seek an explanation and the issue will be clarified tomorrow (Tuesday)," he told TOI.

Annamalai varsity notification this year mentioned non-creamy layer OBC as a category