A trick to deny scholarship to minorities, ask students

Govt gropes for answers as minority leaders demand explanation for new rider introduced by district officers

Ministers and bureaucrats responsible for higher education in the state were left red-faced at a seminar this week when it was pointed out that on the one hand they had announced a new scholarship for minority students, and on the other hand they were creating obstacles for those eligible for it, wittingly or not.

Heads of institutes and parents attending the conference on education for the minorities pointed out that officers in a number of districts had asked students to submit ‘nationality’ certificates along with their applications for the scholarship. The minister for higher education, Dilip Walse-Patil, defended the officers, saying the nationality certificate was a condition mentioned by the central government which had instituted the scholarship.

However, All India Muslim Personal Law Board Working Committee member Kamal Farooqui, who is also chairman of the Delhi Minorities Commission, disputed the minister’s claim. “This is the doing of the Maharashtra state government. Government of India has not put such a condition. We only ask students to submit a minorities’ certificate along with the domicile proof and an affidavit. There is no reason for putting such a condition for a nationality certificate,” said Farooqui.

Educationists concur, pointing out that a nationality certificate is a requirement only for a government job. “This is irrational, unethical and against our constitution. If there is any such clause in the scholarship form, then it should be removed. Else, colleges need to lodge a complaint with the state government officials,” said Surendra Zondhale, political science head of Mumbai University. 

Minority leaders say the bureaucracy in Maharashtra was deliberately creating such obstacles instead of allowing the maximum number of minority students to avail of the newly introduced scholarship. “Many students can't afford to go to court and get these certificates,” Zahir Qazim, director of the Anjuman-Islam school, told DNA.

Initially, the Maharashtra State Minorities’ Commission had been made responsible for handling the process of identifying recipients for the scholarship for minority students.

However, citing a shortage of staff in the commission, the government passed the matter over to the higher education department. The minorities’ commission says some “mischievous officers in a few districts” may be exploiting the situation to create hurdles for students. “We are shocked to say the least. If any officers are making such demands and any student or parent brings it to my notice, I will ensure that we will book such an errant officer,” Abraham Mathai, vice- chairman of the state minorities’ commission told DNA.

The government has now assured the minority leaders that the issue will be reviewed. Walse-Patil called for a meeting of  representatives of the minority communities after the conference.

“The parents and students are being harassed unnecessarily. The government is aware
of this and we will try to bring about a solution to this issue," added legislator Fauziya Khan. A government representative said such incidents were taking place in remote areas where parents were ill-informed about how to go about fulfiling the paperwork for the scholarship.                 

 k_neeta@dnaindia.net