Chennai, October 8, 2025
CHENNAI — In a resounding affirmation of the state's long-standing social justice framework, the Tamil Nadu Legislative Assembly on Wednesday unanimously passed the Tamil Nadu Backward Classes, Scheduled Castes, and Scheduled Tribes (Reservation of Seats in Educational Institutions and Appointments) (Amendment) Bill, 2025, solidifying the 69% reservation quota for marginalized communities. The legislation, introduced by Chief Minister M.K. Stalin, now awaits presidential assent and is poised for immediate reference to the Supreme Court for constitutional validation, invoking protections under the Ninth Schedule to shield it from judicial review.
The bill builds on Tamil Nadu's pioneering reservation policy, first enacted in 1994 through the Tamil Nadu Backward Classes, Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Reservation of Seats in Educational Institutions and of Appointments or Posts in the Services under the State) Act. This framework allocates 18% for Scheduled Castes (SCs), 1% for Scheduled Tribes (STs), 30% for Other Backward Classes (OBCs), and an additional 20% for Most Backward Classes (MBCs), totaling 69% — a figure that exceeds the 50% cap set by the Supreme Court in the landmark Indra Sawhney v. Union of India (1992) judgment. The 1994 Act was strategically placed in the Ninth Schedule by Parliament, granting it immunity from challenges on grounds of violating fundamental rights, a move that has preserved the policy despite periodic legal scrutiny.
Proponents hailed the amendment as a timely safeguard in the wake of recent Supreme Court interventions, including the quashing of the Tamil Nadu Special Reservation of Seats for Community Candidates in Teachers Recruitment in 2021 for lacking "quantifiable data" on backwardness. The new bill incorporates fresh empirical backing from the state's ongoing Socio-Economic and Educational Survey — the caste census — which has accelerated data collection across 15 states, including Tamil Nadu, since early 2025. "This is not just a hike; it's a renewal grounded in evidence," Stalin declared during the debate, emphasizing provisions for periodic reviews every five years using census data to justify the quota's continuance. The amendment also integrates a 10% horizontal reservation for Economically Weaker Sections (EWS) within the existing framework, pushing the effective total to 79% in select categories, though capped at 69% for vertical reservations to align with historical precedents.
The assembly session, marked by cross-party consensus, saw minimal opposition. AIADMK leader Edappadi K. Palaniswami, whose government had previously defended the quota, endorsed the bill, calling it "a legacy of Dravidian politics that we must all uphold." BJP legislators abstained from voting, citing concerns over exceeding the 50% ceiling without nationwide uniformity, but did not mount a filibuster. The passage comes amid national debates on reservation caps, fueled by the caste census push, with Tamil Nadu positioning itself as a model for states like Karnataka and Telangana seeking similar constitutional shields for their OBC quotas.
Tamil Nadu's 69% policy has been a cornerstone of social equity since the 1920s Justice Party era, evolving through agitations like the 1980 Vanniyar reservation stirs and fortified by judicial champions such as the late Justice M.S. Janarthanam, whose passing in July 2025 was mourned as a loss to the quota's guardianship. Under special circumstances, the Supreme Court has tolerated the excess, recognizing the state's unique demographic pressures where OBCs and MBCs constitute over 70% of the population. Legal experts anticipate the apex court will expedite hearings, potentially by late 2025, drawing parallels to the 2022 EWS ruling that carved an exception to the 50% rule.
Critics, including upper-caste advocacy groups, argue the policy perpetuates division and disadvantages merit-based admissions in elite institutions like IIT Madras, where SC/ST quotas have sparked recent protests. "While data is welcome, the hike ignores the creamy layer exclusion needed for true equity," said N. Ram, a senior advocate and CPI(M) Rajya Sabha member, who supported the bill but urged refinements.
For Tamil Nadu's 1.5 crore students and job aspirants, the bill promises enhanced access: 69% seats in medical colleges, engineering programs, and government posts, credited with uplifting communities like the Thevars and Nadars. With the Northeast Monsoon forecasts signaling normal rainfall — a boon for agrarian backward classes — the timing underscores the quota's role in rural empowerment.
As the bill heads to the Governor's desk, followed by a likely Ninth Schedule insertion, it reaffirms Tamil Nadu's defiance of the "50% shackles," as Stalin put it. In a federal India grappling with caste fault lines, Chennai's bold stroke could inspire a reservation renaissance — or ignite fresh constitutional battles. "Equity isn't arithmetic; it's justice," the CM concluded, echoing Ambedkar's vision amid applause that reverberated through the assembly halls.
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