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The ‘Reservation Hatao Andolan’ (RHA) protesters on Saturday claimed that the Centre has agreed to hold discussions with the activists over their demands concerning caste-based reservation. The group said a Union Minister will “personally" meet the protesters.

The development came a day after a large gathering at Delhi’s Jantar Mantar, where protesters demonstrated against the existing reservation system. Several participants were detained by the Delhi Police during Friday’s protest.

RHA, an Instagram-based campaign with around 5.6 million followers, said on X, “The government has agreed to discuss the demands of the activists of the reservation reform movement. Harsh Bhai has informed that a central minister will personally hold talks with the protesters."

सरकार ने आरक्षण सुधार आंदोलन के कार्यकर्ताओं की मांगों पर चर्चा के लिए सहमति जताई है। हर्ष भाई ने बताया है कि एक केंद्रीय मंत्री स्वयं आंदोलनकारियों के साथ बातचीत करेंगे।उम्मीद है कि @ajeetbharti, @neha_laldas, @ARanganathan72 आदि को भी इस चर्चा में शामिल किया जाएगा। वे अपने…

— Reservation Hatao Andolan (RHA) (@WokeFuneral) August 22, 2026

The group also suggested that right-wing influencer Ajeet Bharti and Anand Ranganathan, among others, should be part of the proposed discussions. “It is hoped that @ajeetbharti, @neha_laldas, @ARanganathan72, and others will also be included in this discussion. They can present these issues with much greater clarity and strength through their arguments and data," it said.

RHA, however, stressed that the agitation is continuing.

What Are The Protesters Demanding?

The protesters have put forward five key demands. They want economic circumstances to have greater weight in deciding eligibility for government assistance, including scholarships, education and coaching support.

They have also called for “quota within quota" to ensure reservation benefits reach the most disadvantaged sections within reserved communities.

Another demand is a white paper on the reservation system, assessing its impact over the past eight decades.

The protesters are also seeking minimum marks for admission to higher educational institutions, including IITs and IIMs, arguing that academic standards should not be compromised.

Finally, they want expanded benefits for Economically Weaker Sections (EWS), including fee and hostel-related support.

Apart from these demands, participants raised concerns over the SC/ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act and aspects of higher education policy, including the UGC framework.

The government could consider making economic disadvantage a primary criterion for government support, including education, coaching, scholarships, and fees, rather than caste. There are also calls for a comprehensive review of the reservation policy every 10 years, and for a white paper examining the reservation system and its impact.

The 'quota within quota' demand is one of the key demands made by the 'Reservation Hatao Andolan' protesters. The Centre has agreed to discuss the demands concerning caste-based reservation with the activists, but it is not confirmed if this specific demand will be implemented soon.

The discussions between the government and the 'Reservation Hatao Andolan' protesters could lead to a review of the existing reservation framework, potentially focusing on economic status over caste as a basis for government support and implementing reforms like the "creamy layer" provision more effectively.