Even as protests by students of Maharaja Sayajirao University (MSU) in Vadodara have intensified against the possibility of the 70 per cent quota for local students shrinking to 50 per cent due to the implementation of the Gujarat Common Admission Services (GCAS) platform, the MSU management maintained that it has “taken no decision” on the quota, as the “ball is in the court of the government”.
On Friday, members of All Gujarat Students’ Union (AGSU) protested at the MSU head office, handing over a representation seeking an increase in the quota for local students from Vadodara from 70 per cent to 90 per cent, vehemently opposing the “rumoured decision” to reduce the quota to 50 per cent.
Pankaj Jaiswal of AGSU said, “The university can have a quota of 90 per cent for local students and 10 per cent for outsiders but if it is thinking of giving 50 per cent quota to outsiders, it will result in a major protest.”
Officer on Special Duty and PRO Professor Hitesh Ravaiya said, “No decision has been taken by MSU in the matter of quota so far. If any decision is taken, it will be informed publicly.”
On May 15, the state education department had started registration for college admissions through the GCAS portal.
University officials said the MSU management is “awaiting directions” from the state government on its locus standi in deciding the quota. GCAS guidelines state that students applying to universities through the portal will adhere to university rules.
MSU officials said the guidelines don’t clarify on the power of universities to decide on the local quota. An official said: “It is not true that MSU has decided to reduce the local quota from 70 to 50 per cent. There is chaos because there is no clear guideline from the state on what power universities affiliated to the state and now under the purview of GCAS have in deciding local quotas…”