Threat to reservation in colleges: Constitutional amendment if required, says Chidambaram

Chennai: Finance Minister P Chidambaram has reiterated that the Centre would bring about a constitutional amendment if the Supreme Court does not review a recent order which he says would stop progress made through reservation in admission to professional colleges.

In its recent order on a petition that challenged reservation in appointments to super specialty posts at the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS), the Finance Minister says the top court had also asked the government to stop the decline in quality of education due to reservation in admission to professional courses.

Speaking at a meeting at Tiruvarur in Tamil Nadu, he explained that the petition was on reservation in appointments to Specialty and Super Specialty posts at the AIIMS and the Judges need not have raised the issue of reservation in admission to medical and engineering colleges.

"Our government has made a clear decision. To approach the court again for a review," he said, adding "It would be good if the Supreme Court accepts our plea and if we get a favourable order. If not our government has decided to amend the constitution again."