Arjun for ordinance on minority colleges

Sources close to Singh say the ordinance follows a CMP proposal and its implementation cannot be postponed further.

The CMP says: ‘‘The UPA government will amend the Constitution to establish a Commission for Minority Educational Institutions that will provide direct affiliation for minority professional institutions to Central Universities.’’

It is likely to help Muslim and Christian-run institutions all over the country and especially in Maharashtra, Karnataka, Kerala and Tamil Nadu where such institutions have come up in large numbers. Jamia Millia and Aligarh Muslim University are already Central varsities and professional courses run by them are already Centrally-supported.

The Ministry has concluded that a Constitutional Amendment is not necessary, an ordinary legislation will do. Singh’s aides say since this is an ‘‘urgent necessity’’, the step to clamp an ordinance instead of a law will not be criticised by allies.

Explaining the reasons why this ordinance was necessary, ministry sources say that most of these professional institutions did not want to be affiliated to the state universities. The Central University degree had better market value. And the university administrators would feel more protected if they were brought under the Central University umbrella. Thirdly when brought under Central care, these institutions would feel less threatened of losing their essential minority character.

As bureaucrats grapple with the ordinance, some grey areas remain.

Is not the HRD Ministry reducing the powers of the key higher education body, the All India Council for Technical Education? After all, when the institutions come under Central Universities, the AICTE cannot monitor them.