Thiruvananthapuram: The Kerala government has finally decided to implement reservation in three streams of the Kerala Administrative Service (KAS). The Pinarayi Vijayan government’s new decision is to ensure reservation in all the three streams. 

As per reports, the government had earlier given reservation for the first stream category. The first stream is for direct recruitment, and the second stream is for the existing non-gazetted posts by appointing through transfers.

The age limit for this reservation is 40 years and educational qualification is a university degree. The third stream is for the existing first gazetted post by appointing through transfers. Education qualification for this is a university degree and the age limit is 50 years.

Chief minister Pinarayi Vijayan had sought a legal opinion from the attorney general and the legal advice obtained was that no reservation was needed for KAS.

However, many including CPI(M)'s RS member K Somaprasad came to the fore for reservation. The government at first was not ready to take up this decision, but later decided to change its stand. Kodikkunil Suresh, Congress leader and MP, had staged a protest in front of the secretariat regarding the reservation.

The government changed its stand after Congress staged a march to chief minister’s residence and Dalit organisations intensified their agitations.

It is also alleged that the Dalit organisations had taken a favourable stand on the Sabarimala issue supporting the government and participating in the women's wall. The reports suggest that this move of the Dalit organisations prompted the government to implement reservation in the three streams.

Meanwhile, law minister AK Balan said, the LDF government will also maintain Other Eligible Community (OEC) list issued by the previous government for providing educational assistance for backward community students. It is also reported that the Pinarayi Vijayan government had already spent Rs 200 crore from Rs 359 crore reserved for this grant.