Delhi High Court Issues Notice On PIL Seeking 10% Reservation For EWS Students In Jamia Millia Islamia

The Delhi High Court on Wednesday issued notice on a public interest litigation seeking 10 percent reservation for students belonging to the economically weaker section (EWS) category in the Jamia Millia Islamia University.

A division bench of Chief Justice Satish Chandra Sharma and Justice Subramonium Prasad sought response of Union of India, University Grant Commission and the varsity.

The PIL has been moved by a law student Akanksha Goswami. She is represented through Senior Advocate Arun Bhardwaj and Advocates Akash Vajpai and Ayush Saxena.

The reservation is sought in accordance with the provisions of Constitution (One Hundred and Third Amendment) Act, 2019 under Article 15(6) of the Constitution of India.

The plea refers to a letter dated January 18, 2019, issued by UGC requesting the vice-chancellors of all Central universities, including Jamia Millia Islamia, to implement 10 percent of EWS reservation at the time of admission from the academic year 2019-2020.

The petition states that Jamia Millia Islamia issued a press release on February 05, 2019, refusing to implement the reservation quota for EWS students “citing its status as Minority Institution” under Article 30 of the Constitution of India.

Furthermore, the plea states that the varsity issued an admission prospectus for the academic year 2023-2024 for undergraduate and graduate courses without making any provision for the 10% EWS reservation.

In this backdrop, the PIL seeks implementation of the letter issued by UGC in 2019 and also for quashing of Jamia’s press release refusing to implement 10% EWS reservation.

A direction is also sought on the varsity to withdraw its prospectus for the academic year 2023-2024 and issue it afresh after making provisions for 10% EWS reservation.

“Jamia lost its identity by its conversion into the central university which was established by the Jamia Millia Islamia Act, 1988. It is evident from the fact that Jamia Millia Islamia Act, 1988 had dissolved Jamia Millia·Islamia society and its memorandum of association and.incorporated those provisions in the act which were completely different from its earlier MOA,” the plea states.

Title: Akanksha Goswami v. Jamia Millia Islamia & Drs