By TwoCircles.net Staff Reporter,
New Delhi: Justice (Retd.) MSA Siddiqui, Chairman of the National Commission for Minority Educational Institutions (NCMEI), was honoured with Sitara-e-Hind Award (Star of India) for his “outstanding contribution in the field of education of minorities”.
Justice Siddiqui was felicitated by the ‘Minority Association of Educational Institutions, Uttar Pradesh’ at a function held on Wednesday, 29th October, 2014 at India Islamic Cultural Centre, in the National Capital.
Justice MSA Siddiqui receiving award from Mulayam Singh Yadav, Senior Cabinet Minister UP Mohd. Azam Khan and Liyaqat Ali, National President, MAEI, UP.
Samajwadi Party Supremo Mulayam Singh Yadav was the Chief Guest and senior Cabinet Minister in Akhilesh Yadav Government, Mohd. Azam Khan presided over the function.
The award was bestowed to Justice Siddiqui as a “mark of appreciation for his continuous and long standing service in the field of education of minorities in the country,” a press statement by the organisation noted, adding that he has worked for the empowerment of minority communities especially Muslims in getting education at the grassroots level.
The National Commission for Minority Educational Institutions (NCMEI) was established in 2004 by the first United Progressive Alliance Government to provide direct affiliation for minority professional institutions to Central Universities.
This is the first time that a specific Commission has been established for protecting and safeguarding the rights of minorities to establish and administer educational institutions of their choice. This Commission is a quasi-judicial body and has been endowed with the powers of a Civil Court. It is headed by a Chairman who has been a Judge of the Delhi High Court and two members to be nominated by Central Government.
So far as affiliation of a minority educational institution to a university is concerned, the decision of the Commission would be final.
Justice MSA Siddiqui addressing the gathering after felicitation programme.
Justice Siddiqui, who has served as the Chairman since its inception, is considered the patron of the minorities and is known for his bold and judicious decisions, including his decision to declare Jamia Millia Islamia University in New Delhi as a Minority Educational Institutions as a proactive commission for solving the educational problems of minorities. His concerted efforts culminated with establishment of more than thousand primary schools and Girls’ schools by the Muslim community in our country.
The programme witnessed an immense crowd of more than 1500 people from different parts of India like stakeholders of minority educational institutions, scholars, educationalists, journalists, representatives of Government and Non-Government organisations, bureaucrats, Chairman and Members of different Commission, teachers etc.