It was a long cherished desire of its founding father and the Muslim community to see it as minority institution.
The verdict would allow Jamia to reserve up to 50 per cent seats for Muslims. “We have no hesitation in holding that Jamia was founded by the Muslims for the benefit of the Muslims and it never lost its identity as a Muslim minority educational institution,” chairman the commission Justice M S A Siddiqui said in his judgment.
“We find and hold that Jamia Milia and Islamia is a minority educational institution covered under Article 30 (1) of the Constitution of India with section 2(G) of the National Commission for Minority Educational Institutions Act,” the judgement said.
Siddiqui however said Jamia would continue to enjoy the Central University status and the only “minority central university” in the country given its unique character. Jamia became a Central University by an Act of Parliament in 1988.
The Commission in its judgment held that: “on a conjoined reading of section 2(O) and 4 of the Jamia Milia Islamia Act along with the history and facts and eventswhich led to the Establishment of Jamia, we have no hesitation in holding that Jamia was founded by the Muslims for the benefit of the Muslims and it never lost its identity as a Muslim minority educational institutions”.
The other members of the commission are Mohinder Singh and Cyriac Thomas. Jamia Students Union, Jamia Old Boys Association and Jamia Teaches Association filed a petition in 2006 before NCMEI seeking minority status for the varsity.
Meanwhile there is scene of jubilation all over the campus in Jamia after the NCMEI verdict.
Click here for the
Judgment of the National Commission for Minorities Educational Institutions