No reservation for OBCs,no grants: UGC tells Jamia

In a letter to the university on October 6,the UGC said it would not release Jamia’s non-plan grants from 2010-2011 if the university did not implement the reservation clause immediately. The letter,from UGC Chief Statistical Officer M S Yadav to Jamia Vice-Chancellor Najeeb Jung,was distributed on Thursday at the meeting of the Jamia Minority Status Coordination Committee (JMSCC). The meeting was also attended by the Minister of Minority Affairs,Salman Khursheed.

The letter reads: “The matter with regard to implementation of OBC reservation in admissions in JMI was placed before the Empowered Committee in its meeting held on August 19,2009. It was further decided by the Empowered Committee that if the university fails to comply (with) the instructions of the Government of India,MHRD/UGC,the non-plan grant to JMI from the financial year 2010-2011 may not be released.”

Khursheed,however,sought to allay fears. He told the meeting: “We will make sure this does not become an issue at all. We will try for both in-court,as well as out-of-court settlements. Whatever concludes first,the better.”

Jamia’s faculty pointed out that a decision must be taken immediately as the prospectus is to be prepared in January. It can be mentioned here that Jamia has gone to the National Commission for Minority Education Institutions (NCMEI),asking for certification that it is a minority institute. This certificate would allow the university to reserve 50 per cent seats for Muslim students. It is now being pointed out that implementing the OBC reservation clause would defeat Jamia’s case before the NCMEI.

An additional roadblock has also been created because universities do not come under the purview of the NCMEI,only colleges do. An amendment to clarify this,though passed by the last Lok Sabha,was allowed to lapse in the Rajya Sabha.

“Delays are in-built in our system,” Khursheed said,adding,“It took 17 years for the Liberhan report to be published.”

Khursheed also spoke of a new public-private partnership model in the works that can help decide at the very beginning whether an institution would have minority status.

The minister said: “There was a proposal to develop Ajmer,Kishanganj and Mysore as Waqf universities along with the Waqf Board of India. After legal issues were pointed out,we are in talks with other government departments to develop these universities in a PPP-model with Waqf funding. This will enable them to reserve 50 per cent seats for minorities.”