What is the legal dispute over AMU's minority status
Explain the legal dispute surrounding the minority status of Aligarh Muslim University (AMU).
The legal dispute surrounding the minority status of Aligarh Muslim University (AMU) has been ongoing for several years. Here are the key points of the dispute:
- In 1967, the University Grants Commission (UGC) granted AMU minority status, implying that it could reserve 50% of its seats for Muslims.
- However, in 2005, the National Commission for Minority Educational Institutions (NCMEI) withdrew this status on the grounds that AMU was established by an Act of Parliament and funded by the central government.
- The UGC argued that as a centrally-funded institution, AMU could not be given minority status.
- AMU contended that being a minority institution is an inherent part of its identity, as it was founded to advance the educational needs of the Muslim community.
- In 2016, the Allahabad High Court ruled in favor of AMU's minority status, stating that it was within the university's administrative autonomy to grant reservations to Muslim students.
- However, in 2019, the Supreme Court agreed to hear the plea challenging the minority status of AMU, and the case is still pending.
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