After LS Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi flagged vacancies in teaching positions for SC, ST, and OBC categories in central universities Friday and referred to it as a “planned conspiracy”, Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan hit out saying the Centre has increased the number of teaching positions in the past 10 years.
Citing data presented in response to a question in the RS Wednesday, Gandhi said on X: “Data presented by the Modi government in Parliament is evidence of the deprivation of Bahujans and institutionalized Manuvad.”
Stating that these posts “are deliberately kept vacant”, Gandhi said: “This is not mere negligence but a well-planned conspiracy—to keep Bahujans out of education, research, and policymaking.”
“In the name of NFS (Not Found Suitable), thousands of qualified SC, ST, OBC candidates are being declared unfit under a Manuvadi mindset, and the government is unwilling to take any accountability. This is completely unacceptable,” he said.
Around 80% of posts sanctioned in central universities for professors under the OBC category, 83% in the ST category, and 64% in the SC category remain vacant, the RS was informed.
In response, Pradhan said Friday: “Rahul Gandhi has raised the matter of ‘not found suitable.’ In 2019, the Central Educational Institutions (Reservation in Teachers’ Cadre) Act was passed. For the first time in independent India, reservation for SC/ST/OBC categories in the posts of assistant prof, associate prof, and prof was ensured through an Act. The Act also says that if a suitable person is not found, the post won’t cease to exist or lapse.”
“I would like to ask Rahul Gandhi… in their (Congress) tenure how many posts were converted into ‘general’ category where candidates were ‘not found suitable.’ And in Modi’s tenure… not even one has been converted,” he said.
