Taking cognisance of a report in The Asian Age on June 14 about the University of Mumbai suggesting that the minority and management quota be merged, minority affairs minister Arif Naseem Khan on Friday spoke to vice-chancellor Dr Rajan Welukar and got an
assurance that the interests of the minority institutions would be safeguarded.
The University has issued a circular recently, asking the minority colleges to include the 15 per cent management quota seats in the 50 per cent minority quota itself. This has irked the principals and management of the minority colleges.
Talking to this newspaper, Mr Khan said that he had expressed my disapproval to the vice-chancellor in this regard. “I spoke to him on the phone and asked him to withdraw the circular. I told him that the Constitution has protected the rights of the minority institutions and that the Supreme Court also orders the same. Mr Welukar assured to examine the matter and rectify it accordingly,” Mr Khan added.
As per the old rule, managements were allowed to keep aside 15 per cent of the seats before implementing the 50 per cent minority quota. The remaining 50 per cent of the seats would then be kept for the open, SC/ST, sports and other categories as per the percentages allotted to each one of them. The vice-chancellor, however, remained unavailable for comment.