A day after BJP Aligarh MP Satish Gautam’s letter to the Aligarh Muslim University (AMU) Vice-Chancellor, the Chairman of the National Commission for Scheduled Castes (NCSC) Ram Shankar Katheria held a meeting with AMU authorities in Aligarh and served an ultimatum to extend reservation benefits to Dalit students in the university as per Constitution within a month.

With Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath raking up the reservation issue to Dalit students in AMU and Jamia Milia Islamia last month, the AMU is caught in a political storm again after the row over Jinnah portrait. Yogi had apparently questioned the pro-Dalit stance of the Congress, BSP and other political parties for keeping a mum on the issue.

“When all the Central Universities are governed by a single Act and follow the reservation policy on admissions then why is AMU not giving reservation benefits to Dalit students as per the Constitution?” asked Katheria.

Citing example of the Banaras Hindu University (BHU), the NCSC Chairman pointed that AMU was not a religious institution then why was it denying reservation rights to the Dalits? “The BHU and all other Central Universities follow the reservation policy then why should AMU be an exception” questioned Katheria.

AMU's Pro Vice-Chancellor Tabassum Sahab told the NCSC Chairman that AMU’s admission policy currently falls under the Supreme Court's jurisdiction. “At present, we give 50 percent reservation to internal students and have no policy to extend reservation benefits on caste and religious basis. The matter is sub judice in the Supreme Court and we will abide by the court decision,” the Pro V-C told Katheria during the meeting.

But the NCSC Chairman was not satisfied with the answer and asked them to file a written reply. On AMU authorities seeking one month’s time to file the reply, the NCSC Chairman directed them to take a decision on allowing reservation in admission to Dalit candidates within a month.