The draft bill of the higher and technical education department which intends to do away with reservations in private universities, may still create a similar provision in case of certain disadvantaged categories.
The state may ask the institutions to reserve seats for people who are financially backward and for those who are physically challenged. It may also want private players to come up with scholarships and schemes to attract such students and women.
The officials in the department feel the new players might be amenable to reservations in such limited form, but not to the general caste-based reservation. Many private players are willing to start their own universities in Maharashtra, but want regulations to be relaxed, said an official.
Among the front runners is the Reliance Foundation, the new philanthropic initiative of the Reliance Group. The foundation had announced earlier this year that it wanted to establish a world-class and multi-disciplinary university. The university may start either in Mumbai or Delhi.
“Private universities won’t accept reservations if you force them to set aside 50% of the seats as they are putting in their own money. Other states, which have private universities, do not have any reservations,” said Snehalata Deshmukh, eminent academician and former vice-chancellor of Mumbai University.
Currently, there is no law that prescribes reservations in private universities in the country. While the central government had plans to propose a bill to introduce quota in private universities, ministry officials confirmed that it is not a priority for the government.
Even in the case of foreign universities, the government has kept quiet on the issue of reservations as it is likely to discourage foreign players from setting shop in India. Several states like Rajasthan, UP, Himachal Pradesh, Jharkhand, Gujarat, Sikkim, Meghalaya, Mizoram and Tripura have private universities.
Currently, universities in Maharashtra have to set aside 50% of the seats for various reserved categories. “The state also needs to assess how viable it is to keep so many seats reserved even in state universities and whether it is actually benefiting the right people. Similar reservations in private universities will not be a viable option at all as they won’t receive any funding from the state. However, it is a progressive step for the state which is known for its emphasis on reserving seats based on caste and local (Marathi) language,” said an educationist on condition of anonymity.
