AMU quota reflects reality: HRD

Under attack from the BJP and the Left academicians for allowing 50 per cent reservation for Muslims in the Centrally-aided Aligarh Muslim U...

Under attack from the BJP and the Left academicians for allowing 50 per cent reservation for Muslims in the Centrally-aided Aligarh Muslim University, the HRD Ministry today came out with figures to suggest that the AMU’s controversial policy ‘‘only reflects the ground reality’’.

Ministry officials said that on an average nearly 62 pc of the seats in the technical/medical courses offered by the university were filled up by Muslim students in the last three academic sessions.

According to the ministry records, Muslims students occupied 104 of the 157 seats in the MD/MS/MCH/PG diploma courses in 2004-05, 81 of the 159 seats in 2003-04, and 22 of the 38 seats in 2002-03.

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In the MBBS course, Muslims took up 75 of the 127 seats in 2004-05, 79 of the 128 seats in 2003-04, and 75 of the 130 seats in 2002-03.

Of the 340 seats in BTech/ BArchitecture, Muslims filled up 258 seats in 2004-05, 253 in 2003-04, and 233 in 2002-03. For the corresponding periods in the MBA course having 60 seats, 46, 57 and 52 seats went to Muslims.

Defending the reservation policy, Ministry officials further said that seats have been reserved for ‘‘Indian Muslims’’, which means that it is not just students from UP and Bihar who stand to gain.

‘‘At the moment, only students from the neighbouring states benefit. Muslim students from other parts of the country do not get a chance,’’ officials said.

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The HRD Ministry’s note states: ‘‘The reservation for 50 per cent Muslims of India has now been provided to restore the all India character of the university by attracting better Muslim candidates on the basis of merit determined by the university’s All India Admission Test.’’

Women’s Reservation bill to be ready soon: Arjun

NEW DELHI: It’s just a matter of days before the Women’s Reservation Bill is ready in an acceptable form, said HRD Minister Arjun Singh. ‘‘I am confident that steps will be taken in this matter over the next few days. The Centre is committed to the Bill,’’ he added at the Central Social Welfare Board conference. The minister said that Home Minister Shivraj Patil has been holding talks with other political parties to arrive at a consensus on the vexed issue of granting 33 per cent reservation to women. —ENS