Academics voice support on revoking minority status of AMU, Jamia

According to academicians, apart from the academic status, the issue would have a political fallout too as the timing coincides with the upcoming assembly elections in Assam and Uttar Pradesh.

Commenting on the issue, Dattesh Parulekar, a professor in Goa University, supported the Centre’s move to oppose the concept of granting a minority status to a centrally funded university. “When a university is constituted under the Act of Parliament and centrally funded, how it can claim minority status? The varsities will have to follow every norm of Human Resource Development (HRD) Ministry vis-à-vis quota in admission, recruitment, etc.” “I support HRD Minister Smriti Irani’s move of lifting the minority status tag from both the institutions. Since the matter is in court, we have to wait for the final verdict,” said Parulekar, who is also member and spokesperson of Foreign Affairs Department of BJP.

Given that the matter is in Supreme Court and next hearing is scheduled for April 4, the AMU is gearing up for defending the minority status in the apex court. Talking to Millennium Post, AMU spokesperson Arhat Abrar said, “We have full faith the judiciary and we are very hopeful that justice will prevail in favour of the premier institute. The apex court would uphold the minority status tag.” 

In reply to a question on why the HRD Ministry had suddenly raised this issue, Abrar said it’s the Central government that should answer this query, not the AMU.

Another academician has come out in support of revocation of minority status to these two varsities. “When both the universities are enjoying the status of Central University, how can they claim themselves as minority institutions and that too on the recommendations of the Minority Commission, who has no business to interfere in the matters of government procedures,” said Vivek Kumar, the JNU professor.