UGC’s directive to VCs on admission norms relaxation for Kashmiri migrants

With a number of universities yet to implement the additional concessions suggested by the Human Resource Development Ministry in March 2013 for Kashmiri migrant students, a fresh “request’’ to this effect has been issued by the University Grants Commission (UGC) to all Vice-Chancellors.

As per this communication, universities should introduce a 10 per cent relaxation in the cut-off percentage for Kashmiri migrant students, increase intake capacity unto five per cent course-wise, reserve at least one seat in merit quota in technical and professional institutions, and waive the domicile requirements.

In March 2013, the Ministry had drawn up these additional concessions for Kashmiri migrant students as they “continue to face hardships’’ and universities were requested to introduce this in the 2013-14 academic session itself. However, a fleeting look at the admission brochures of many a university shows that this request was ignored by most universities.

None of the four central universities in the capital have provided for these concessions yet. While the Delhi University allows a relaxation of five per cent in the minimum marks, Jamia Millia Islamia provided five per cent reservation of seats for Kashmiri migrants in all programmes except in those courses offered by select faculties. Likewise, Jawaharlal Nehru University allows five “deprivation points’’ to Kashmiri migrant students and the Indira Gandhi National Open University, too, has not adopted the March 2013 suggestion of the Ministry.