BANGALORE: With religious and linguistic minority institutions left out of the ambit of the Constitution Amendment Bill that seeks to provide reservations for backward classes and Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes in unaided private colleges, the Government is likely to lose 3,075 engineering, 450 medical and 400 dental seats from its quota next year. The Bill was introduced on Tuesday in the Lok Sabha by Union Human Resource Development Minister Arjun Singh. If it were to be passed, the State would have to forego about 4,000 seats, which it held under its quota in the minority colleges last year.

There are 13 minority medical colleges in the State, eight linguistic and five religious institutions. Of the religious minority colleges, three are run by Muslim managements and two by Christians. Of the 13 linguistic minority colleges, three are run by Tulu minority managements and two each by the Telugu and Konkani minority and one college by a Tamil minority management. Last year, the Government had a 50 per cent share of the 800 MBBS seats available in these institutions.

Among the 13 minority dental colleges in the State, four are run by Telugu minority managements, three by Tulu, one each by Tamil and Kodava and four college by Muslim minority managements. The Government had a share of 450 seats in these colleges last year.

Minority engineering colleges accounted for 6,150 seats last year, of which 3,075 seats were allotted under the government quota. There are nine linguistic and six religious minority colleges in the State. The religious minority colleges include four Muslim and two Christian institutions.

Meanwhile, the 26 colleges attached to the Karnataka Religious and Linguistic Minority Colleges' Association have reportedly decided to set aside 25 per cent of their seats for the weaker sections.

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