In response to Maharashtra state government’s challenge to High Court’s 2017 decision to discard backward class reservation in minority colleges, Supreme Court has supported the verdict of the High Court. Thus, there will no longer be a separate quota for the Backward Class students at minority colleges affiliated to Mumbai University (MU).
In December 2017, the Bombay High Court had ordered Mumbai University to cancel backward class quota for minority colleges affiliated to Mumbai University. Due to this, the minority colleges warded off the reservation in this year’s degree college first merit list. After which, several students had reached out to the Education minister and further the state government challenged the Bombay High Court’s decision in the Supreme Court.
There are 225 minority colleges affiliated to the University of Mumbai. Earlier, 50 per cent quota was reserved for admission for minority, management in these colleges and Scheduled Caste (SC), Scheduled Tribes (ST) and specially-abled students were included in the remaining 50 per cent seats. Challenging this decision by MU, the then Principal of St. Xavier's College had filed a petition in the High Court in 2001.
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In 2017, during the hearing of this petition, the quota reserved for scheduled castes and tribes in minority colleges was discarded and from the coming academic year, it was stated that these seats would be given to the open category students instead.
This decision from the apex court comes as a relief to the students seeking admission in degree courses. Amidst the chaos, the students were confused about the declaration of further merit lists but soon the second merit list would be declared by the respective colleges which will provide the students with a state of clarity.
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