Parliament passes bill to amend Minority Educational Institutions Act
By IANSThursday, August 5, 2010
NEW DELHI - Parliamentary approval was Thursday accorded to a bill amending the National Commission for Minority Educational Institutions Act to enable the central government decide on the status of such institutions without consulting the states.
The National Commission for Minority Educational Institutions (Amendment) Bill, 2010, which had earlier been passed by the Lok Sabha, was passed by the Rajya Sabha Thursday by a voice vote.
The consultation mechanism has been done away with as in some cases, a state government or its agencies could be a party before the commission and could thus take a stance contrary to the central government’s.
Replying to the debate in the Rajya Sabha, Human Resource Development Minister Kapil Sibal said the bill does not deal with the establishment of a university. “It is a procedural act,” he said.
A clause in the original act of 2004 defines a minority educational institution as a college or an institution other than a university established or maintained by a person or group of persons from amongst the minorities.
The amendment omits the words “other than a university” and substitutes the words “established and maintained” with “establish and administer”.
The bill also increases the members of National Commission for Minority Educational Institutions from two to three.
