Delhi HC seeks response of Jamia Millia, Education Ministry on EWS quota plea

New Delhi [India], March 29 : A Delhi High Court on Wednesday sought the response of Jamia Millia Islamia on a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) seeking directions for providing 10 per cent reservation to Economically Weaker Section (EWS) category students at the time of admission from the academic year 2023-2024.

The Bench of Justice Satish Chander Sharma and Justice Subramonium Prasad issued notice to all respondents including the Ministry of Education and University Grant Commission (UGC) on Wednesday and fixed the matter for April 18.

The petitioner Akanksha Goswami, a law student, stated in the PIL that "Jamia Millia Islamia, by reason of its incorporation and establishment by an act of Parliament, is a central university and not the minority one".

"Once it is incorporated and established by the statute, it can never be termed as a minority institution".

It is also stated that the executive council and academic council of Jamia need not necessarily consist of the majority members belonging to the main minority community. Therefore, the question of Jamia being a minority institution does riot arise.

The plea further stated that a minority education institution by no stretch of the imagination can be a university under National Commission for Minority Educational Institutions Act, 2004.

Treating a Central University as a minority educational institution is repugnant to law and it also undermines its status and is against the basic tenet of a Central University, the plea added.

"The petitioner further seeks the issuance of Court direction to Jamia Millia Islamia to withdraw its prospectus for the academic year 2023-2024 and issue a fresh prospectus after making provisions for 10 per cent EWS reservation under Constitution (One Hundred and Third Amendment) Act, 2019," the plea read.