Jamia Milia Islamia refuse to provide seats under the EWS quota on grounds of being minority institutions

According to media reports, Jamia Milia Islamia (JMI) and Aligarh Muslim University (AMU) have refused to implement the 10% EWS quota for the general category. While JMI has cited its minority tag as an excuse for not implementing the new quota, the AMU has made the excuse that it will wait for the Supreme Court’s verdict on its minority tag.

On January 17, the Union Human Resource Development Ministry had directed all the central educational institutions to put the EWS quota into effect from the 2019-20 session.

The Times of India has quoted an AC member on the condition of anonymity saying, “We found that as we are a minority institution, the EWS quota won’t be applicable to us.” He also claimed, “UGC has already said certain institutes and minority institutions will not come under this new system.” He further added that JMI had also not implemented the OBC expansion quota.

News18 has quoted, AMU spokesperson Shafey Kidwai saying, “The university will maintain status quo on its admission policy as the case of minority status is sub-judice. Till the time the court doesn’t pronounce its judgment, we will go with the admission policy we have – 50 per cent reservation for the internal students and 50 per cent seats for the external students.” 

The Modi government has maintained that the AMU was not a minority institution as it was set up by an Act of Parliament. The case is pending in the apex court.

Matters of technicalities like minority institution and all are fine but these institutions show some humility towards poor people. Does the minority tag prevent from them from showing some sensitivity toward the poor? And as far as ‘minorities’ are concerned, it has not been defined anywhere in the constitution- what is the definition of minority. These so-called minority institutions are required to do away with their exclusivist approach otherwise people will construe that their acts are just a ruse to deprive the students in the EWS category from seeking admission in these institutions. Instituions like JMI and AMU are learning centers and religious centers, they survive because of tax-payers’ money and aid granted by the government, but they don’t want to follow Indian laws such as 10% quota for EWS.

Last year in June, Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath had pitched quota for Dalits in so-called minority run institutions like the Jamia Milia Islamia (JMI) and Aligarh Muslim University (AMU). CM Yogi said, “If an institution like the Banaras Hindu University can give Dalit quota, why can’t minority-run institutions do that.”

Earlier, Amit Shah had also called for the reservation for SC/ST/OBC at AMU. 

For more details: CM Yogi makes the rightful demand of Dalit reservation in minority run institutions.

After CM Yogi’s statement, the Uttar Pradesh SC/ST commission had sent a notice to AMU asking the same. In its six page long notice, the commission has expressed its vexation over not providing benefits of reservations to the students belonging to the SC/ST community.

The Chairman of the UP SC/ST commission, Brijlal said, “The AMU is not a minority institution. I have issued a notice to it for not giving reservation to the SC/ST. In the notice sent to the AMU Registrar, he was asked to reply to it by August 8.” He further added, “We have asked why SC/ST communities have not been given benefits of reservation and in what circumstances it has been done so. The Supreme Court has not yet passed any order in which AMU was prevented to provide reservation benefits. In light of the HC and the SC directives, it has been established that the AMU is not a minority institution.” 

For more details: UP CM committed to the demand for providing SC/ST reservation in AMU