80% OBC, 83% ST Professor Posts Vacant: AIOBCSA Seeks High-Level Probe into Reservation Scam in Central Universities

Hyderabad- Startling data tabled in Parliament has exposed how Central Universities are brazenly flouting constitutional reservation mandates, systematically excluding marginalized communities from faculty positions.

The All India OBC Students Association (AIOBCSA) has demanded immediate intervention from the Education Ministry after official records revealed two shocking realities: first, universities are not even maintaining the mandated 15% SC, 7.5% ST and 27% OBC quotas in sanctioned posts; second, an alarming 80% of OBC and 83% of ST Professor posts remain vacant in what appears to be institutionalized caste apartheid in higher education.

In a social media post on Friday, Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi slammed the Modi government over Parliament data exposing systemic exclusion, calling it 'institutionalized Manuvadi discrimination.' He accused the BJP of deliberately sabotaging social justice through the 'Not Found Suitable' scam, which rejects qualified Bahujan candidates. Gandhi demanded immediate filling of all reserved posts, warning that empty seats represent stolen opportunities for marginalized communities and a conspiracy to erase their voices from academia and policy-making."

In a recent reply to a question raised by RJD MP Manoj Kumar Jha in the Rajya Sabha, the Union Minister of State for Education, Sukanta Majumdar, presented data on the category-wise number of sanctioned posts and filled positions for Professors, Associate Professors, and Assistant Professors in Central Universities as of June 30, 2025.

The data tabled in Parliament reveals deeply troubling trends regarding the representation of faculty members from Scheduled Castes (SC), Scheduled Tribes (ST), and Other Backward Classes (OBC).

Kiran Kumar Gowd, the National president of AIOBCSA points out two serious and systemic issues that has come to light:

(1) Non-Implementation of Constitutional Reservations in Sanctioned Posts: The constitutionally mandated reservation quotas — 15% for SCs, 7.5% for STs, and 27% for OBCs — are not being followed in the total sanctioned faculty strength. This failure directly undermines the principles of social justice and equal opportunity enshrined in the Constitution of India.

(2) Massive Underrepresentation in Filled Positions: Even among the sanctioned positions, a disproportionately high number of posts reserved for SC, ST, and OBC communities remain vacant. Alarmingly, around 80% of OBC Professor posts and 83% of ST Professor posts are unfilled.

"Such gross negligence in filling reserved posts is a clear indicator of institutional bias and administrative apathy", Gowd said. He further added, "This situation is unacceptable and demands immediate redressal. The persistent denial of representation to marginalized communities in higher education faculty positions not only violates constitutional mandates but also perpetuates systemic exclusion and inequality in our academic institutions."

AIOBCSA urges the Ministry of Education to constitute a High-Level Committee to investigate reservation policy violations in all Central Universities, ensure accountability of university administrations and MoE officials responsible for non-compliance and recommend urgent policy reforms and mechanisms for strict enforcement of reservation provisions, including time-bound recruitment and monitoring systems.

" Social justice in education cannot be delayed or denied. It is time for the Government of India to act decisively and uphold the constitutional commitment to equity, representation, and inclusion", he emphasized.