By Md Ali, TwoCircles.net,
New Delhi: The long battle for the minority status of Jamia Millia Islamia ended on a good note this morning when the National Commission for Minority Educational Institutions (NCMEI) conferred the much wanted status on the central university established before Independence by some eminent figures of the Muslim community including Dr Zakir Hussain.
Though the university itself was a little reluctant to pursue for the minority character, the community, teachers and alumni have been very much active for the cause. They took the case to the NCMEI, a quasi-judicial constitutional body that is empowered to decide such issues.
Various teachers’ bodies of the university have been in the forefront of the movement for the character. They intensified their effort after last year’s central government order to implement 27% OBC quota in all central universities. Being a central university, Jamia was also bound to implement the order but it has since been protested. The UGC had even threatened to withhold the grants to the varsity if it did not implement the OBC quota order. The community had feared that once the quota was brought into practice, it will be almost impossible for the university to take the minority status. So they took the case to the NCMEI which today (22nd Feb. 2011) pronounced its judgment in favor of the proponents of minority character.