100% jobs of elementary teachers suggested for Khasi-Jaintias & Garos
Public hearing on State Reservation Policy
Shillong, Oct 4: Citing population ratio of the Khasi-Jaintia and Garo indigenous tribes in Meghalaya, the Khasi Students’ Union (KSU) has urged the state government to consider keeping 50% of the government jobs reserved for Khasi-Jaintias in the new State Reservation Policy.
The KSU submitted its suggestion to members of an expert committee on the State Reservation Policy during a 3-day public hearing that began here on Thursday.
Considering the reservation going to be based on population, the ratio of reservation should be 50% for Khasi-Jaintia and 40% for Garos, 5% for other STs and 5% Unreserved, the KSU said in its submission to the committee.
“Mark my word, it is not General but Unreserved category that means open to all,” said KSU general secretary Donald V Thabah after the public hearing.
“Another option is that if this (proposal) is not possible then it (reservation) should be 90% open for Khasi, Jaintia and Garo and 5% for other tribes and 5% unreserved. These were the first two suggestions we have put forth before the panel,” he added.
Thabah also informed that the Union has suggested that “if the new reservation policy is going to come out then it should not be retrospective, there should not be any backlog… it should start afresh”.
The KSU also proposed 100% reservation for teachers of lower primary and primary schools.
Underlining the importance of mother tongue in imparting education to children at lower primary and primary level schools including SSA schools, the KSU suggested 100% reservation Garos in Garo Hills region and 100% reservation for Khasis-Jaintias in “eastern range” of Meghalaya.
“We feel…if we go by reservation of 40:40 or 50:40, a Garo will not be able to teach a young Khasi kid in Khasi, neither a Khasi can go to Garo Hills and impart education to Garo children,” he said.
