The Voice of the People Party (VPP) has recommended to the expert committee reviewing Meghalaya’s reservation policy that job quotas should be allocated based on population proportions, rather than using backwardness as a criterion.
Speaking to the media after submitting the party’s suggestions, VPP spokesperson Dr. Batskhem Myrboh argued that there is no valid reason to provide larger quotas to communities deemed to be lagging behind. He highlighted the lack of any comprehensive study that establishes disparities in development among different communities within the state.
Dr. Myrboh pointed out that if backwardness were to be the basis for determining reservations, Jaintia Hills, one of the least developed regions in Meghalaya, would require the highest share of reservations. However, he stressed that reservations should not exceed the proportion of a community’s population, a principle that is not widely practiced across India.
The VPP believes that job and educational reservations should reflect population data, ensuring fairness and equality across all communities in Meghalaya.
