Managements of minority institutions thank CM Revanth Reddy for increase in seats, exemption from DOST

∙         Fee reimbursement dues may be cleared by 1st week of September: Shabbir Ali

 

Hyderabad, August 13: Advisor to the Telangana Government (SC, ST, BC & Minorities) Mohammed Ali Shabbir assured that the Congress government in Telangana would robustly support and strengthen minority institutions across the state. He made this statement while addressing a gathering organised by the management of minority institutions at Anwarul Uloom College, New Mallepally, on Tuesday.

 

The event was held to express gratitude to the state government, particularly Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy and Shabbir Ali, for their efforts in safeguarding the rights of minority educational institutions. These efforts included exempting them from the Degree Online Services, Telangana (DOST) process and approving an increase in the intake of students at minority professional colleges.

 

Shabbir Ali criticised the previous KCR government, accusing it of undermining minority institutions while emphasising that the Congress government is committed to being pro-minority. He highlighted that the current administration has increased 120 seats in minority colleges without imposing any conditions—an unprecedented move.

 

He also pledged to raise the issue of scholarships for students admitted without following the DOST process with the Chief Minister. Shabbir Ali stressed that all eligible poor students have a constitutional right to scholarships, which should not be denied simply because of differences in administrative procedures.

 

Regarding pending fee reimbursement dues, Shabbir Ali informed the gathering that the Chief Minister had already discussed the matter internally. He assured that the issue would be addressed following the completion of the crop loan waiver process, with nearly 75% of the dues expected to be cleared by the first week of September. Furthermore, he mentioned that the Chief Minister proposed clearing all fee reimbursement bills annually through a green channel to ensure that neither management nor students face difficulties.

 

Shabbir Ali also recalled the initiatives of the previous Congress government led by Dr. Y.S. Rajasekhara Reddy, which sanctioned six minority medical colleges with a 100% minority student intake. He emphasised that the Congress government was elected with significant support from minority voters and would protect their rights. He credited the strength of the Congress-led INDIA bloc, supported by minority votes, for forming a Joint Parliamentary Committee on the Waqf Amendment Bill, a move the BJP government had previously resisted.

 

During his address, Shabbir Ali also criticised the previous BRS regime for neglecting the education sector and deliberately targeting minority institutions. He pointed out that during the BRS tenure from 2014 to 2023, more than 850 junior colleges, 350-degree colleges, 150 PG colleges, and hundreds of engineering, pharmacy, and vocational colleges were shut down, with nearly 80% of minority institutions closing their doors.

 

He commended the current Chief Minister, Revanth Reddy, for prioritising the education sector immediately after taking office on December 7, 2023. Shabbir Ali noted that the Chief Minister retained the education portfolio to ensure the sector receives the necessary support for a thorough revival.

 

Shabbir Ali also reminded the gathering that the Congress government introduced 4% Muslim reservations in jobs and education. Although implemented in 2004-05, the process began on August 25, 1994, with GO MS No 30 issuance. He announced that the Congress party plans to celebrate the 30th anniversary of Muslim reservation on a grand scale.

 

Nawab Mehboob Alam Khan, Honorary Secretary of Anwarul Uloom, praised the Congress government for supporting minority institutions. He criticised the previous KCR government for targeting these institutions, even for minor issues. He alleged that Article 31, which provides for establishing institutions by linguistic and religious minorities, was misused by allowing non-minorities to open minority institutions.

 

Mehboob Alam Khan also emphasised that no regulatory authority should enforce admission processes in minority institutions, referencing the Supreme Court’s intervention. He called on the state government to clear the fee reimbursement dues, pending for a decade.

 

Loyola College Chairman Father Raju urged the government to issue a permanent Government Order (GO) allowing admissions without DOST and to provide scholarships to students from minority colleges on par with others.

 

Zafar Jaweed, Chairman of the Sultan-ul-Uloom Educational Society, highlighted the previous regime’s excessive scrutiny of colleges, which included police inspections and FIRs against management for any lapses. He described KCR as highly arrogant.

 

Azad Group Chairman Ghouse Mohiuddin mentioned the shift of scholarships from minority welfare to social welfare, resulting in the closure of 174 engineering colleges due to stopped affiliations.

 

Shah Alam Rasool Khan, Chairman of the Shadan Group of Institutions, thanked the government for granting their group a law college and increasing engineering seats in all colleges.

 

Heads of all minority institutions in the Telangana State participated in the programme. (eom)