UP SC/ST Commission serves notice to AMU over reservation

Lucknow: Demand for reservation in Aligarh Muslim University (AMU) is growing day by day, now Uttar Pradesh Schedule Caste and Schedule Tribe (SC/ST) Commission Chairman Brijlal has issued notice to AMU asking why reservation for SC/ST not implemented there.

Brijlal on Wednesday issued notice to the AMU authorities seeking a reply from them by August 8 next.Taking to media persons here, Brijlal said in the notice that AMU has been asked why there is no reservation when it is not a minority status university and was not following the norms of other central universities.

 "It seems that AMU is not following the Constitutional responsibility," he said, adding that anything further can be said only after the reply from the AMU.On Tuesday, National Commission for Scheduled Caste Chairman Ram Shankar Katheria had summoned vice-chancellor of the AMU.

In absence of VC, pro-VC Professor Tabassum Shahab explained the stand of University in-front of commission.Prof Shahab said that under AMU act of 1981, passed by the parliament, University was accorded with minority status. Apart from that minority institutions were barred from other constitutional reservations under section 15(5), he underlined.

Pro-VC also stated that the matter of minority status of AMU was pending in Apex court. He said that AMU has not followed reservation policy for Muslims though internal students of the institute get 50 per cent reservation without any discrimination of caste, creed or faith.Prof Tabbasum clarified that Allahabad High Court's 2005 order was stayed by Supreme Court and matter was pending in Apex court. Till any further decision on the matter, any changes on reservation system in admission policy cannot be made, he pointed out.

He said that AMU will reply on questions of the commission on reservation. While commission's chairman Rama Shankar Katheria said that present governments have amended 1951, 1965 and 1971 University acts.

Commission has instructed AMU to submit the documents regarding its minority status within a week. Commission has cleared that AMU has not submitted any documents proving its minority status.

Addressing the media Mr Katheria on Tuesday said that as per information received from AMU 12 per cent scheduled cast students got admission in University and 0.07 per cent teachers and workers were employed by the institution.(UNI)