Orphans and destitute children, who have lost their parents before the age of ten, may get 2% reservation for employment in Kerala government service.
The Kerala State Commission for Backward Classes headed by G. Sasidharan, former judge of the Kerala High Court, made a recommendation to the State government in this regard.
The benefit will also be extended to those who are admitted to schools and orphanages either run or recognised by the government. However, children placed in foster care will not be considered for the reservation.
It will be a quota within the quota system or a horizontal reservation that shall be followed for this category so that the total reservation shall not exceed 50%. If an orphan or a destitute belongs to Scheduled Caste (SC) or Scheduled Tribe (ST) or Other Backward Communities(OBC), they would get preference in appointment within the reservation quota allotted to the caste or community. Thus, the percentage of reservation available for SC,ST and OBC will remain within the percentage of reservation available to each category and the total reservation will be confined within the 50% limit, according to the recommendations.
The National Commission for Backward Classes (NCBC) had earlier sought the views and proposals of the State government for providing reservation for the destitute and orphans. The State government in turn assigned the responsibility to the State Commission, said Mr. Sasidharan.
Those orphans/destitute children, whose caste details are unknown, and those belonging to general category will be placed in the general category and provided 2% reservation, says the recommendation.
Creamy layer
Creamy layer principle, where the income, service status and the extent of land owned by parents, are considered for identifying and excluding children from affluent families from the purview of caste reservation, will not be applicable to the destitute and orphans.
Certificates for orphans or destitute shall be issued by a specified government officer, preferably from the Revenue department. Such certificates can be issued on the basis of a certificate issued by the Child Welfare Committee concerned and an independent and discreet enquiry by the official, the panel suggested.
