One Hundred and Third (103rd) Constitutional Amendment Act, 2018

The Constitutional (103rd Amendment) Act got the assent of President of India on 13th January, 2018. The bill was passed in Lok Sabha by 323 members voting in favor and 3 members against the 124th Constitutional Amendment bill. It was subsequently passed by Rajya Sabha with 165 members in the favor and only 7 members against the bill.

Key Highlights

• It provides reservation of jobs in central government jobs as well as government educational institutions. It is also applicable on admissions to private higher educational institutions.
• It applies to citizens belonging to the economically weaker sections from the upper castes.
• The amendment changed two fundamental rights, Article 15 and 16.
• This reservation is "in addition to the existing reservations and subject to a maximum of ten per cent of the total seats in each category".
• The act states that it is drafted with a will to mandate Article 46 of the Constitution of India, a Directive Principle that urges the government to protect the educational and economic interests of the weaker sections of society. While socially disadvantaged sections have enjoyed participation in the employment in the services of the state, no such benefit was provided to the economically weaker sections.