07-28-2006, 02:12 AM
<b>Industry thumbs down to job quota </b><!--QuoteBegin-->QUOTE<!--QuoteEBegin-->Yoga Rangatia | New Delhi
Indian industry has given thumbs down to UPA Government's poll-pledge of legislating quota in private sector jobs.
The JJ Irani Committee on Affirmative Action, set up by Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) and Associated Chambers of Commerce and Industry of India (ASSOCHAM), have in their reports to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on Thursday said initiatives to increase employability of Dalits will be "voluntary" and "self-regulated."
The industry body has offered to set up schools in Dalit-majority districts, coaching centres in universities, scholarships in IITs and IIMs and its members will help train SC/ST entrepreneurs.
In a separate report, Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FICCI) in its report said that <b>extending the ambit of reservation will not address the issue of backward classes. </b>
It suggests that empowerment of the under-disadvantaged groups should start from lower rung of the education ladder.<b> FICCI pledged to adopt 100 Government-funded schools in the districts with significant SC/ST population and provide infrastructure, teaching-learning process in these schools</b>.
"Extension of the ambit of the reservation policy for additional segments of the society as well to additional institutions or sectors will not address the core issues. A calibrated and long-term policy of educating and empowering these disadvantaged groups right from the lower rung of the educational ladder only can help them move up the socio-economic strata. (This policy) also nullifies the need for reservations," FICCI's report on affirmative action and role of Indian industry said.
In response to FICCI survey, about half of industry captains showed willingness to adopt a policy of affirmative action.<b> A vast majority, however, said that they do not ask the candidates to furnish information about their caste background while recruiting employees in their organisations. Companies favoured entrepreneurship development as an alternative to reserving seats to generate employment among the backward communities.</b>
FICCI report has asked the Government to put in place comprehensive childhood development services to the children from the less privileged communities in India, along the lines of the "Head Start Programme" administered by the US Government. The Federation suggested that premier institutions of higher education like the IITs and IIMs should be made self-financing and money saved should be reallocated to support schemes for the secondary/pre-degree students from the disadvantaged sections.<b> It points out that quotas to ascertain affirmative action have not found favour in the US.</b>
The Irani Committee opposed any law that curtails organisations' freedom of employment. And instead offered to take initiatives to upgrade the knowledge and skill levels of disadvantaged sections, which will be monitored by independent groups in the two associations. <b>Industry promises to voluntarily set up coaching centres for 10,000 dalit students in universities and offer 50 scholarships in premier institutes like the IIT and IIM. It has also proposed tying up with voluntary agencies to improve schools in 104 dalit districts and collection of an education cess from industry to fund the programmes.</b>
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Indian industry has given thumbs down to UPA Government's poll-pledge of legislating quota in private sector jobs.
The JJ Irani Committee on Affirmative Action, set up by Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) and Associated Chambers of Commerce and Industry of India (ASSOCHAM), have in their reports to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on Thursday said initiatives to increase employability of Dalits will be "voluntary" and "self-regulated."
The industry body has offered to set up schools in Dalit-majority districts, coaching centres in universities, scholarships in IITs and IIMs and its members will help train SC/ST entrepreneurs.
In a separate report, Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FICCI) in its report said that <b>extending the ambit of reservation will not address the issue of backward classes. </b>
It suggests that empowerment of the under-disadvantaged groups should start from lower rung of the education ladder.<b> FICCI pledged to adopt 100 Government-funded schools in the districts with significant SC/ST population and provide infrastructure, teaching-learning process in these schools</b>.
"Extension of the ambit of the reservation policy for additional segments of the society as well to additional institutions or sectors will not address the core issues. A calibrated and long-term policy of educating and empowering these disadvantaged groups right from the lower rung of the educational ladder only can help them move up the socio-economic strata. (This policy) also nullifies the need for reservations," FICCI's report on affirmative action and role of Indian industry said.
In response to FICCI survey, about half of industry captains showed willingness to adopt a policy of affirmative action.<b> A vast majority, however, said that they do not ask the candidates to furnish information about their caste background while recruiting employees in their organisations. Companies favoured entrepreneurship development as an alternative to reserving seats to generate employment among the backward communities.</b>
FICCI report has asked the Government to put in place comprehensive childhood development services to the children from the less privileged communities in India, along the lines of the "Head Start Programme" administered by the US Government. The Federation suggested that premier institutions of higher education like the IITs and IIMs should be made self-financing and money saved should be reallocated to support schemes for the secondary/pre-degree students from the disadvantaged sections.<b> It points out that quotas to ascertain affirmative action have not found favour in the US.</b>
The Irani Committee opposed any law that curtails organisations' freedom of employment. And instead offered to take initiatives to upgrade the knowledge and skill levels of disadvantaged sections, which will be monitored by independent groups in the two associations. <b>Industry promises to voluntarily set up coaching centres for 10,000 dalit students in universities and offer 50 scholarships in premier institutes like the IIT and IIM. It has also proposed tying up with voluntary agencies to improve schools in 104 dalit districts and collection of an education cess from industry to fund the programmes.</b>
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