HC slashes minority sub-quota, IITs abide
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The Andhra Pradesh high court axed the 4.5 per cent sub-quota to minorities which was carved out of the 27 per cent reservation for Other Backward Classes (OBC). Indian Institutes of Technology (IITs) have decided to abide the ruling, "ignoring" the quota provision till further legal developments, reported Business Standard.
Consequently, the fate of 325 Muslim students who have been shortlisted for admission to 15 IITs under the OBC sub-quota remains uncertain. Diverse opinions have emerged on the government's action. Many have blamed the government for its hasty act in the implementation of the sub-quota for minorities.
On the other hand, the ruling bench felt that the very use of the words "belonging to minorities" or "for minorities" reflects that the sub-quota has been designed only on religious lines and not on any other intelligible basis.
According to an Economic Times report, Law minister Salman Khurshid said that he was told by the HRD minister Kapil Sibal that the IIT admission process is underway, which suggests that quota admissions may have to be scrapped unless the superior court intervened.
In the wake of the HC's decision, the 4.5% sub-quota reserved for minorities in IITs will be merged with the OBC category. IIT-JEE 2012 organizing chairman G B Reddy told the Times of India that IITs have advised minority candidates who are shortlisted for counseling to register the choice of courses accordingly under the ongoing counseling process.
Reddy also told that these candidates will now be allocated seats based on their merit and not under the sub-quota. IITs have also released a statement indicating that "all the shortlisted candidates are advised to note that availability of 4.5 per cent reservation for OBC (non creamy layer-minority) shall depend on the legal developments till June 13 and hence they may register the choice of courses accordingly."
The counseling process for admission to 15 IITs, IT-BHU and ISM- Dhanbad will go on till 5 pm on June 10. The first seat allotment will also be made available on the internet on June 14.
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