The Bihar government has decided to lower the cut-off mark for Scheduled Caste students seeking admission to Master of Education courses in universities of Bihar.

JD(U) MLA Shyam Rajak said in the state Assembly on Tuesday that only two SC candidates got admission to M.Ed courses in the year 2016-17 as against 50 reserved seats in universities across the state. Rajak said the qualifying marks for seeking admission to the courses was fixed at 50 per cent for all social groups with no relief for the SCs. The seats which remained vacant were filled up by general category students.

Replying to this, Parliamentary Affairs Minister Shravan Kumar a reduction in the cut-off marks for SCs - from 50 per cent to 45 per cent - by means of amendment in statutes was under process. "The amendment will be sent to the Chancellor for approval following which the problem will be solved," Kumar said.