In Brief
Manipur University, converted to a central institution in 2005, initially adopted national reservation norms (15% SC, 7.5% ST, 27% OBC) under the 2006 Reservation Act from 2009. After the 2012 Amendment, it reverted to pre-2006 state-era percentages (2% SC, 31% ST, 17% OBC). SC candidates challenged this reduction. The Supreme Court upheld the reversion, holding that the 2012 Amendment's proviso to Section 3, applicable to north-eastern institutions, prescribes a single unified formula referencing the pre-2006 baseline. The Court rejected the argument that general clauses could be applied independently, finding the SC/ST and OBC reservation formulae inextricably linked and governed entirely by the proviso's temporal reference to ensure institutional workability and respect regional tribal demography.
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