New Delhi, April 11 (IANS) Health Minister Anbumani Ramadoss Friday felicitated Human Resource Development Minister Arjun Singh for the “historic verdict” of the Supreme Court that upheld the 27 percent quota for other backward classes (OBCs) in institutes of higher learning. Ramadoss, who called on Singh at his residence here, felicitated the Congress leader for championing the cause of OBCs.

On Thursday, the apex court clarified that children of parliamentarians and legislators should not avail the benefit of reservation. It said the quotas for the OBCs should not be in “perpetuity” and there should be a review of the OBC list every five years.

The new policy, once implemented, would take overall reservation in government-funded higher education institutions to 49.5 percent from the current 22.5, which is for Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes.

The legislation was passed unanimously by parliament in December 2006.