AGRA: National Commission for Scheduled Castes (NCSC) chairman Ram Shankar Katheria has said that Aligarh Muslim University ( AMU ) cannot refuse to admit students of reserved category as it does not have a minority status, which he claimed had been confirmed by the University Grant Commission, HRD Ministry and National Minority Commission.Talking to TOI, Katheria said that he is waiting for the reply of AMU authorities and then will call a meeting and take a final decision in this regard. He said, all top central organisations have confirmed that AMU has not been granted a “minority” status.“In the last 10 years, the central government has funded Rs 7000 crore to AMU,” said Katheria, adding that the university’s excuse of denying admission to SC/ST candidates on grounds of the pending case in the apex court on the issue of its minority status is incorrect. "Nothing prevents them for reserving seats for SC/ST students , as there is no stay from the apex court on this issue,” said Katheria.Recently, the National Commission for Minority Educational Institutions (NCMEI) had sent in writing to the NCSC that minority status has not been granted to AMU by the commission. However, Jamia Milia Islamia is a minority institution.BJP leader and Aligarh MP Satish Gautam, who demanded reservation for the SC/ST students in AMU, stated that now everything is crystal clear. He said that AMU should not have any objection in implementing the reservations system as Minority Commission has also clarified in writing.However, president of AMU students union Mashkoor Ahmad Usmani said that Minority Commission needs to re-check its documents. He said, “Everyone should wait as the matter is pending before the SC”.On July 3, SC Commission Chairman has held a meeting with AMU officials in Aligarh to provide reservation to SC/ST and OBC students since the university is not a minority institution. However, AMU administration was not able to provide documents to support their claim of being a minority institution.They had been given a month’s time to prove it. The deadline expires on August 3.The university clarified that AMU has never followed the policy of reserving seats for Muslims. “It rather reserves 50 percent seats for internal students regardless of their religion or caste. In the case of AMU, there is a stay order of the apex court on the 2005 decision of Allahabad high court and therefore till the Supreme Court finally determines its minority character, no change in its reservation policy is legally possible,” Prof Tabassum Shahab, Pro Vice Chancellor, AMU, stated in a statement.

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