Delhi University considers removing Muslim reservation for joint MSc course with Jamia Islamia: Report
Delhi University’s Cluster Innovation Centre (CIC) is considering removing Muslim reservations in the MSc Mathematics Education programme, jointly offered with Jamia Millia Islamia. The proposal, under discussion, follows DU’s policy of not having religious-based reservations, especially since DU now manages all admissions for the programme.
FollowDelhi University’s Cluster Innovation Centre (CIC) is set to propose the removal of Muslim reservations in admissions to the Master of Science (M.Sc) in Mathematics Education programme, which is jointly offered with Jamia Millia Islamia University (JMI). This move is under discussion and is likely to be addressed in the CIC’s governing body meeting on Monday, December 30.
The M.Sc programme, which was launched in 2013 under the Meta University concept, has been a collaborative effort between Delhi University (DU) and Jamia Millia Islamia. The programme is conducted through the Common University Entrance Test for Postgraduate Programmes (CUET-PG), and the current admission policy includes certain reservations for Muslim candidates.
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Of the total 30 seats in the programme, the seat allocation is as follows: 12 seats for the open category, 6 for Other Backward Classes (OBCs), 4 for Muslim candidates from the general category, 3 for Economically Weaker Sections (EWS), 2 for Scheduled Castes (SC), and 1 each for Scheduled Tribes (ST), Muslim OBCs, and Muslim women, reported Indian Express.
The proposal to eliminate the Muslim reservation is part of a broader discussion within DU about religious-based reservations. A senior official from DU explained, “The goal is that there should be no reservation in the university based on religion. It is a different case when it comes to reservations for the underprivileged, like those based on caste.”
In recent years, the admission process for the programme has been fully digitized, with DU handling all enrollments instead of Jamia. As a result, officials at the CIC have suggested that since admissions are now managed by DU, it would make sense to follow DU’s reservation policy, which does not include religious reservations.
The decision is still under consideration, and once the governing body agrees, the proposal will be sent to the Vice-Chancellor for final approval. An official clarified that although the original agreement between DU and Jamia did not specify the exact seat distribution, the current allocation was decided by a committee formed at the inception of the programme.
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The Meta University concept aims to foster collaboration between different educational institutions, combining resources and expertise to create a unique educational experience. The MSc programme, as a part of this initiative, is managed by the CIC, which insists that DU’s policies should apply in this case, even though the programme is jointly run with Jamia.
“This is the only degree in the country that carries the logo of two central universities,” said an official at the CIC. The committee overseeing the programme had initially decided that 50% of the students would be admitted into DU and the remaining 50% to Jamia.
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