The merit factor

THE SUPREME Court, in its judgement on the controversial Mandal Commission recommendations, upholds "merit" as the preferable yardstick for admission and recruitment to the scientific and technical professions noting these call for the "highest levels of intelligence, skill and excellence".

The judgement dispenses with the reservation clause for technical posts in research and development organisations. Only merit will count in "specialities and super- specialities" in medicine, engineering, physical sciences, mathematics, defence studies and space applications. The court has directed the government of India to consider and specify the services and posts to which the "rule of reservation shall not apply".