[Reader-list] U-turn at JNU over madrassa admissions

[Rahul Asthana]

What is the legal veracity of this step of JNU?

U-turn at JNU over madrassa admissions 

Lakshmi B. Ghosh 

Resentment brewing as Alimiyat Fazeelat certificates
are no longer considered equivalent to Class XII  


NEW DELHI: Coming from a different educational
"experience", students from madrassa background are
for the first time feeling "unwelcome" on the
Jawaharlal Nehru University campus here. With the
University taking the drastic step of not just
introducing an Equivalence Committee this year to
assess the Alimiyat Fazeelat certificates of students
but also refusing admission on the plea that these
certificates were not equivalent to Class XII, strong
resentment and dissent is brewing on the campus. 

Describing the move as unacceptable, the JNU Students'
Union has already written to the Vice-Chancellor
demanding that the new system be withdrawn as it was
in complete contradiction to the policy followed by
the University in the past. 

Though the problem is not new for madrassa students,
JNU has always had a far more friendly admission
process for them, with the University enrolling at
least 100 such students every year in Arabic, Persian
and other languages. 

What has irked the students here is the University's
refusal to admit even migration students in the second
year. 

"For a long time madrassa students have registered and
taken admission in the second year after completing
their first year in universities like Jamia Millia
Islamia and Aligarh Muslim University. What is even
more shocking is that no one knew about the new
committee including the concerned faculties of Arabic
or Persian who were never consulted,'' says JNU
Students' Union vice-president Ena Panda. 

Students say the move is uncalled for as until last
year students never faced this problem. According to
many students, it was normal for most madrassa
students to take admission in universities like Jamia
Millia Islamia, Jamia Hamdard and AMU where the
educational qualifications are recognised and can be
assessed. They would then apply for migration in the
second year to JNU as it is considered one of the best
in the country. The certificates of a number of small
madrassas are apparently not recognised as equivalent
to Class XII by the Association of Indian
Universities. "When a university like Jamia Millia
gives admission to a madrassa student, it is after
checking his certificates. Till last year this was
acceptable, but not now. In fact, some of the students
have made it to the merit list after an entrance, so
why should there be a problem?'' asks Hafeez-ur-Rehman
of Students' Voice, a voluntary group here. 

Iqubal Ahmed, a student of the Al-Jamia Al-Salafia
Madrassa in Varanasi, is just one of those facing a
problem. This French enthusiast joined Jamia Millia's
undergraduate course in Arabic last year and also took
a part-time course in French at Alliance Francaise de
Delhi. With his proficiency in French improving,
Iqubal decided to apply for JNU's undergraduate degree
programme in French. But despite making it to the top
of the merit list, Iqubal says he was rejected by JNU.


"University officials said they would not be able to
give me admission till I could prove that my madrassa
education was equivalent to Class XII. I told them
that my admission to Jamia Millia was based on that
but they did not agree. After clearing the entrance
exam I was really looking forward to joining JNU, but
I am very disappointed now,'' says Iqubal. 

University authorities say a final decision will be
taken on the matter early next week after due
deliberations



		
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