It's 27% From 2007

• Centre to hike allocation for higher and technical education by Rs 8,000 crore. Current spend: Rs 7,000 crore.
  
• Additional funds to be used to build infrastructure and expanding faculty
  
• Seats in centrally-administered colleges and universities to be increased; new education cess likely
  
• While upper quota limit is fixed, the actual intake of students may vary. If number of OBC applicants is less, the extra seats will be put in the general category. If they exceed 27 per cent, the seats will increase proportionately.
  
• Differential funding based on intake of OBC students being worked out. More funds to be allocated to institutions fulfilling quota.

Blaming the government for its slow response, she says "it took 16 months to clear our proposal to increase the faculty from 75 to 120. Since then, it has been a tough hunt for quality faculty given government controls on faculty remuneration." IIM Calcutta, too, is facing a teacher crunch. Put together, the IITs, which have 400 teachers on their rolls, would need another 150 to maintain status quo post-quota. "Merely increasing the number of students will dilute the quality, given the pedagogy and curriculum, unless the government intends to appoint a panel to mandate what the new curriculum and pedagogy should be!" she says.

While the quota issue has been re-examined, the only group that has stuck to its stand is that of the agitating doctors at AIIMS in Delhi. They've not only struck work but have thwarted attempts by the government to recruit temporary docs. A delegation under the banner of Youth for Justice met President A.P.J. Abdul Kalam, and from all reports, got a patient hearing and little else.

Another group which made its presence felt for the first time since Arjun Singh made his decision to implement quota was the pro-reservationists who came out in strong numbers in Lucknow, Delhi and Hyderabad. It had the backing of many OBC MPs. Says V. Narayansamy, leader of the OBC forum of Parliament: "The government will evolve a policy acceptable to all. Let us at least wait for it. The government wants to protect all sections of society, including the students who are currently protesting. I think they should listen to the government before continuing their agitation."

So, where does the agitation go from here? Already, parallel OPDs started by the striking doctors have been abandoned after the health ministry asked the agitating doctors and students to vacate their hostels. But protests still continue. The call from the Indian Medical Association for a general strike on May 25 found an echo in Maharashtra, Lucknow and Delhi where junior doctors have been joined by senior residents who hung up their stethoscopes for a day.

While academics may be sharply divided, politicians are not. Every political party, including the "casteless" Left, have their eyes on the huge OBC-Dalit votebank. Which way it swings is anybody's guess. But no politician wants to upset a constituency that makes up two-thirds of India's population. No wonder no major politician or party has come up to support the agitating doctors.