HRD willing to amend the AMU Act

Students seeking admission in Aligarh Muslim University (AMU) can expect the reservation to remain even in the next academic year despite Allahabad High Court’s order terming it a non-minority institution.

According to officials at the Human Resource Development (HRD) ministry, the government is willing to amend the AMU Act to insert minority status and reservation for minority community in a bid to nullify the order of Allahabad HC order.

The Act amended in 1981 gave the university minority status but also maintained that admission should not be on basis of religion, caste or creed. HRD issued an order in February last year making 50 per cent reservation for Muslims in PG courses and professional courses.

The HC overruled this order saying that AMU does not have a minority status. Officials say the section for admission can be deleted and new section for allowing reservation for minorities can be inserted.

If required an amendment can be introduced in the budget session of the Parliament, an official added. AMU has reportedly sought an amendment in the central Act and has requested to clear the situation before start of next academic session.

“On receiving the certified copy of the judgement of the HC, we will decide on steps required to find a way to uphold the commitment of Indira Gandhi about AMU being a minority institution,” he said, maintaining that UPA government was committed on giving AMU minority status.