Those belonging to the Other Backward Class (OBC) and Economically Weaker Sections (EWS) are also backward and should be given the benefit of free coaching, the High Court observed on Monday while asking Jamia Milia Islamia to treat as representation a plea seeking admission of students from the disadvantaged categories in its Residential Coaching Academy (RCA).
The petition said the RCA, which is a free coaching programme for civil services aspirants, caters only to women, minorities and members of the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes but arbitrarily excludes other underprivileged categories, especially the OBC and EWS students, who have limited financial means.
The court said the petitioner, Satyam Singh, a law student, should have made a representation to the university before approaching the judiciary.
Resolve issue
Though the court dismissed the petition, it stated that Jamia Millia Islamia should consider it a representation and resolve the issue.
During the hearing, the court orally observed that the people belonging to the OBC and EWS categories should be given the benefit of free coaching. “Give it to them. OBC and EWS are also backward people,” the court observed.
