PATNA: The legislative assembly on Monday passed seven bills, including the one for 10% quota to the economically weak sections (EWSs) in the unreserved category in government jobs and other services as well as in admissions in colleges and universities.The other six bills included the ‘Bihar Niji Vidyalaya (Shulk Vinimiyan) Bill, 2019 to regulate the increase in annual fees charged by private schools during admissions.Presenting the bills, CM Nitish Kumar lambasted the opposition RJD and CPI(ML) members for obstructing the House proceedings. The quota bill was in compliance with the central bill passed earlier in Parliament. He said the 10% quota would in no way affect the existing 50% reservations meant for the scheduled castes, scheduled tribes, extremely backward castes (EBCs), backward castes (BCs) and women from the OBC groups.Later, Speaker Vijay Kumar Choudhary subjected the bill to voice vote even as the opposition members, barring those belonging to the Congress, continued to create din while standing in the well. He also gave the ruling saying it had been passed unanimously by the House.Launching a frontal attack on the opposition RJD and CPI(ML) members who had created uninterrupted noisy scenes, Nitish said, “Half of them are opposed to their own party line on the matter, but have now taken to opposing it in the House on the diktat from Ranchi (read jailed RJD chief Lalu Prasad).” He further said, “It should have been passed unanimously. Those opposed to the 10 quota bill would later suffer its fallout.”Regarding the bill on private schools, education minister Krishnanandan Prasad Verma said, “The bill allows only for 7% increase in fee. If violated, fines would be imposed ranging from Rs1 lakh in the first offence and Rs2 lakh in the case of repeat offence.”The House also adopted two other resolutions, whereby appeals have been made to the Centre to hold the 2021 Census on caste basis, and also to abrogate the 13-point roster system purported to appoint teachers in universities and colleges, taking department as the unit, besides the restoration of 200-point system taking university as the unit that provides for the implementation of the quota system.

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