Former Prime Minister V.P. Singh has suggested that doubling the number of medical seats is a possible solution to the quota row.
"The health minister told me this is possible," said Singh, the architect of the Mandal quota system in 1990. "The long term solution can be provided by implementing a neighborhood school scheme on the lines of one such programme in Britain. Under this scheme, all children would only go to neighborhood schools. The government should allow the private sector to open these schools and fix a reasonable fee with the participation of local communities in their management."Singh was sad that even 15 years after his the Mandal recommendations were implemented, the minorities were still not benefited. "Some provisions must be made for them within the framework of the Mandal Commission report so that they also get benefited," he said.
Students have been angered by the UPA government’s proposal to raise the reservations to 50 percent and have undertaken nationwide protests.
