Cummunity Round-Up

In another move to woo minorities amid speculations of early general elections, the centre is contemplating to redefine minority education institutions to exempt minorities’ universities from government control over fees, admission quotas and administration.
Among others, Aligarh Muslim University and Jamia Hamdard are likely to benefit from new schemes by the Human Resources Development Ministry and they could be exempted from OBC quotas that the government is intent on introducing in higher education.
According to sources in the Ministry of HRD, the Government has decided to protect universities set up and administered by minorities from long-pending regulations on private sector higher education.
The Prime Minister has already approved the proposed amendments to the National Commission of Minority Educational Institutions Act, drafted by the Ministry.
Though the details of the scheme and amendment are not available, sources close to Arjun Singh say the Minister himself had initiated the move. A cabinet note has been finalised, laying down the government’s intention to introduce the amendment bill in Parliament before the end of the budget session.
The current law states that a university cannot be recognised as a minority educational institution even if it is set up or maintained by a person or group of people from minority communities.
Allahabad High Court rejected the decision to grant the AMU a central university minority status in 2006. The Centre’s plea against the order is pending in the Supreme Court. The proposed amendments will for the first time bring universities within the ambit of minority educational institutions.
Justifying the amendments, a cabinet note refers to the Central Educational Institutions (Reservation in Admission) Act, 2006 the OBC quota law. The act, though passed by Parliament, is pending in the Supreme Court after anti-quota activists challenged the law. The note explains why the amendment is essential to safeguard the AMU and other minority-run universities from quotas. Nearly 50 minority deemed-to-be universities, which under the current law stand to lose their special status if upgraded to full-fledged universities, will also receive complete exemption from government control.

The Poona College which introduced BBA and BCA in the last academic session is building a boys hostel at Kondwa, five kilometers from the Poona college campus. On sanction from the Pune Municipal Corporation, the college will also set up its management institutes imparting Masters in Computer Management (MCM) and Master in Personnel Management (MPM) and Diploma in Business Administration in the new campus.
Mohammad Fazil Shariff, a third year B.Com student of the Poona College was selected for Leadership Training Programme and attended a 7-week programme in the US. He was selected out of seven students shortlisted from India.
Another student from the college, Qazi Zaman was honoured with the Prime Minister's medal at the Republic Day Parade in Delhi on January 26 this year. He was one among the three students selected to take the salute opposite the Rashtrapati Bhavan.
Principal of the college, Dr. Qudratullah was honoured with the Jewel of India Award by the National Solidarity Council of India and eminent citizen of India by the International Institute of Education and Management.
Poona College run by Anjuman Khairul Islam, Mumbai has produced 31 doctorates at its research centre during the last five years. Of these, 21 were in commerce and seven in English. The College has been conferred with A grade by the NAAC in 2004. The college offers BA, B.Sc and B.Com and eight post graduate courses. www.poonacollege.org, Ph: 020-26454240

The Mumtaz College here introduced B.Sc with two new combinations during the last academic session. The additional courses offer Biotechnology with Microbiology and Biotechnology with Zoology with 33 intake each. The college has received grant promise for starting a project in food technology. The college which will be soon completing 50 years has a 33 acre campus in the city. Ph: 040-24069155.

The Yenepoya Group of Institutions run by the Mangalore based Islamic Academy of Education, has been granted the status of deemed university by the University Grants Commission and Union Ministry of Human Resource Development under Section 3A of the UGC act (1956). According to a press release, the university comprises Yenepoya Dental College in Deralakatte at present.
The Islamic Academy of Education was founded in 1991 under the chairmanship of entrepreneur Yenepoya Abdulla Kunhi, who has been proclaimed the founder and first chancellor of the Yenepoya University in a meeting of the board of trustees of the Academy recently. The Academy has under its wings a dental college, a medical college, nursing college, institute of nursing sciences and a physiotherapy college.

After the Wakf Board issued notices to 25 disputed properties in July last year, seven of them have been restored.
The cost of these properties is Rs.15 crore. Seven other properties, estimated to be worth Rs. 35 crore, are expected to be restored in the next couple of months. The Board conducted hearings, after issuing primary notices in the last six months and the restoration orders were issued to 14 properties that originally belonged to the Board.
The acquired properties include a 14-acre land and another one acre land allotted for a petrol pump in Nanded, 15 acres of land in Pune and a two-acre plot in Parbhani city.
“Apart from the 14 properties that were served the restoration notice, four others are under litigation, while seven are under hearing before the Board,” said chief executive officer of the Board, A. R. Shiekh. He said that restoration of the remaining seven properties, which have been served with the orders, is the responsibility of the collectors concerned.
The 25 properties under dispute are estimated to be worth Rs. 500 crore. Wakf Minister Anees Ahmed said, “The committee is investigating the disputed properties and the report will be tabled soon. The state will also bring an amendment in the Mumbai Government Premises (Eviction) Act 1955 to enable restoration without any legal battle.”
The relief is too little too late. It’s just the tip of the iceberg. Unauthorised occupation of wakf properties is one of the basic problems dogging the wakf endowments and the assets pertaining to them. Several properties have been grabbed by certain agencies including Government institutions who have converted some of them into residential, office or commercial complexes forcibly. Besides, there are certain wakf properties that have been let out on nominal rent. Speedy litigation and administrative efficiency in getting the eviction orders by courts implemented would enable the wakf departments across the country in commercial development of the same, and channeling their revenue for the welfare of the community.

The Merit-cum-Means Scholarship launched by the Central Government through the Ministry of Minorities, New Delhi have begun to reach the beneficiaries. This is in pursuance of the recommendation of the Sachar Committee Report and Prime Minister’s New 15-point programme for the Minorities.
The Department of Minorities Welfare, Government of Karnataka organized the scholarship distribution program at the Raj Bhavan, Bangalore and Governor Mr. Rameshwar Thakur handed over the cheques for the scholarship amount to the students and the institutions on February 25.
The Programme was attended by prominent Muslim leaders and officers. Present at the occasion were Mr. I. R. Perumal, Secretary, Minority Affairs, Government of Karnataka, Mr. N. M. Panali, Director of Minorities Department, Mr. Mohammed Saleem, Managing Director, Karnataka Minorities Development Corporation, Mr. Syed Mudeer Aga, Chairman, Karnataka State Minorities Commission, Mr. Zameer Pasha, IAS, Mr. Roshan Baig, Former Minister.
According to the pressnote released by the Director of Minorities, 795 students belonging to the Muslim, Christian, Sikh and Buddhist communities in Karnataka were granted the scholarships totalling an amount of Rs. 2.24 crore sanctioned by the Central Government. The highlight of this scholarship was the grant of full fees to students pursuing education in Indian Institute of Managements and the National Institute of Technology. Two Muslim students of IIM, Bangalore received their full amount of their fee i.e. Rs.2,87,000 which can be considered as the highest scholarship amount ever granted to any minority student in the country under a central government scheme.
Students seeking this scholarship can log on to www.minorityaffairs.gov.in to get more details and the application form.

Burhani Medical Idara, a Dawoodi Bohra medical organization organised the ‘Cancer Awareness Seminar 2008’ at Saifee Hospital, Charni Road on March 8.
Prominent doctors including Dr. K.M. Mohandas, the Dean (Academic) of Tata Memorial Hospital delivered lectures and enlightened the audience on the symptoms, types and diagnosis of various common cancers.
On the occasion, Dr. Syedna Mohammed Burhanuddin, head of the Dawoodi Bohra community in a message for the event, mentioned that medical science had progressed to tremendous heights and thereby developing a cure for cancer. He however maintained that eventually the Almighty God was the insurer of health and cure.
Select audiences of Dawoodi Bohra professionals, entrepreneurs and intellectuals attended the seminar that was held at the Auditorium of Saifee Hospital. An interactive session for questions-answers was also held.
The Burhani Medical Idara, set up as part of the 97th birthday celebrations of Dr. Syedna Mohammed Burhanuddin, shall organise similar gatherings in over 700 community centers world over to promote cancer awareness amongst the community members.

The Neo-Educational and Economic Development Society (NEEDS), an NGO, recently felicitated 10 Muslim women achievers as part of celebrations for the International Women’s Day on March 8. These women, drawn from fields like education, law, business and community work, have earned laurels for the community.
At a glittering function at Islam Gymkhana near Marine Lines, NEEDS felicitated 10 women achievers: Zeenat Ali (Islamic scholar), Rehana Undre (educationist), Maimoona Dalvi (academician), Naseem Matani (founder, Cancer Patient Aid Society), Shahin Kadri (bureaucrat), Fatma Allana (businesswoman), Farhana Shah (advocate), Saeeda Dadarkar (educationist), Kausar Hassan (entrepreneur) and Farida Lambay (activist).
“Though our work is not confined to just Muslims, we have decided to felicitate these Muslim women achievers because they are inspirational characters. They have defied odds and could be role models to young Muslims, especially girls,’’ said NEEDS’s Asif Khan.

The BET Sadathunnissa College here held a one-day seminar on the life of Maulana Abul Kalam Azad, the first education minister of India. Dr. B. Shaikh Ali, educationist in his keynote address said Maulana Azad did his best to avert the Partition of the subcontinent. He accused Lord Louis Mountbatten for the partition on communal lines. Former minister R. Roshan Baig who is the chairman of the Bismillah Educational Trust (BET) said such seminars were necessary to make the younger generation aware of the sacrifices of the stalwarts of the freedom struggle. Maulana Riyaz-ur-Rahman, Chairman, Jame-ul-uloom Institutions presented a paper - Maulana Abul Kalam Azad, an Islamic Scholar. Dr. Mohammed Khaiser, HOD Economics, Al-Ameen College focused on Maulana Azad’s services as an educationist. Azeezulla Baig threw light on Azad’s career as a journalist. Haleema Firdose described Azad’s literary contributions. Salma Sultana, BET College described the contribution of Azad as the first education minister of India. Prof. Roopa, presented biographical glimpses of Azad. Prof. Syed Gulam Mohammed, Principal of the College welcomed the gathering and Mrs. Sayeeda Begum of the Urdu department proposed a vote of thanks.

The MSS Wakf Board College will begin MBA courses from the new academic session. The college recently added eight classrooms for self-financing courses. Ph: 0452-2528898.