Rajya Sabha on Thursday took up for consideration the 104th Constitutional Amendment Bill 2005, which seeks to provide reservation to students from socially and educationally backward classes to unaided private institutions.

Piloting the Bill, Human Resources Minister Arjun Singh [Images] said it was passed by Lok Sabha with 'near consensus' and hoped that the Upper House too will follow suit.

Bharatiya Janata Party's Bal Apte commenced the debate on the Bill.

Rajya Sabha Chairman Bhairon Singh Shekhawat announced that the Bill to amend the Constitution will have to be passed by the House statutorily through a division vote at 1630 IST.