Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar on Monday said backward classes should receive 50% reservation in the private sector, as well. The Janata Dal (United) leader also called for a national debate on the matter, ANI reported.

Kumar said employees from backward classes should not sign any contract unless their employers ensure quota for them, India Today reported.

Bharatiya Janata Party leader Hukumdev Narayan welcomed Kumar’s proposal.

On November 2, the Bihar Cabinet had decided that the state government’s job reservation policy will have to be followed when personnel from private agencies are hired.

Bihar state Electronics Development Corporation Ltd and Bihar State Health Society often hire professionals from private agencies as data entry operators and other support service executives. “The government’s job reservation norms will now be applicable to such outsourced jobs as per the roaster,” said Principal Secretary (cabinet secretariat) Brijesh Mehrotra.

In February 2016, the National Commission for Backward Classes had sent a proposal to the Department of Personnel and Training and the Social Justice Ministry, demanding 27% quota in private companies for people from Other Backward Classes. But earlier this year, the government denied considering any such move, India Today reported.