By TCN Staff reporter,
New Delhi: The National Commission for Minority Educational Institutions (Amendment) Bill, 2010, which had earlier been passed by the Lok Sabha, was passed by the Rajya Sabha in its current session by voice vote.
The Act adds two important features to the power of the National Commission for Minority Educational Institutions (NCMEI). NCMEI is a quasi-judicial body empowered to deal with the issues of minority educational institutions in India. It was established in November 2004.
First of all the amendment empowers the NCMEI to pass the order related to minority educational institutions, without consulting the concerned state. Earlier if NCMEI was dealing with a particular minority educational institution, then it was supposed to consult that state also to which that particular minority educational institution belongs.
The decision to do away with the consultation mechanism has been taken in order to avoid any contradiction from any of the state governments or its agencies, in case they are party before the Commission.
Second vital addition to power of NCMEI, is that now minority universities will also come under its jurisdiction. Before the amendment, the NCMEI Act defined educational institutions as “a college or teaching institution (other than a University) established or maintained by a person or group of persons from amongst a minority community.”
In this amendment the word “other than a University” has been omitted to include minority universities also. Further, the amendment has substituted the words ‘established and maintained’ with ‘establish and administer’. After this amendment the number of members of National Commission for Minority Educational Institutions will also be increased eventually from the existing two to three.