Rashtriya Uchchatar Shiksha Abhiyan

Maharashtra

Although reservation policy is not applicable to minority colleges, funds meant for Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes are being allocated to autonomous minority colleges in the city under the central scheme of RUSA (), reply to a right to information (RTI) query has revealed.Navnirman Vidyarthi Sena (MNVS), a student organisation, has questioned the allocations. The University Grants Commission (UGC) recently granted autonomy to many premier minority colleges in Mumbai such as Jai Hind, Mithibai, and Sophia. St Xavier’s College was among the first to get autonomy in 2011.Under RUSA, each of the autonomous colleges are eligible for Rs 5-crore grant. Out of which the first instalment of Rs 1.50 crore has been released per college. As per information obtained under RTI Act, by Santosh Gangurde, vice president of MNVS, funds from Scheduled Caste Sub Plan (SCSP) and Tribal Sub Plan (TSP) – budgetary allocations for welfare of these communities – are part of the RUSA grant to colleges.“The minority colleges do not have reservations for SCs and STs. Then why are they getting money from funds meant specifically for welfare of SCs and STs by way of RUSA grant. There is no issue with non-minority colleges,” asked Gangurde.The RTI reply he received shows that a sum of Rs 16.5 crore has been disbursed to 11 autonomous colleges, including Jai Hindi, St Xavier’s, Mihtibai and Sophia. Each of the 11 colleges has received Rs 1.5 crore. Out of the total allocation of Rs 16.5 crore, Rs 12.78 crore has been drawn from funds categorised as ‘General’, Rs 2.47 has been drawn from SCSP and Rs 1.23 crore from STP.Minority colleges said while the reservation policy was not applicable to them as per the law, they were not aware of the sources from where RUSA had gathered funds.“We have all students coming to our college and the facilities are for all. There is no differentiation. Many of our summits and workshops are open for students from outside the college as well,” Jai Hind principal Dr Ashok Wadia said.St Xavier’s principal Dr Rajendra Shinde seconded, “I don’t know which money RUSA utilises. I only look at the funds which are meant for the development of my college.”Asked about the RUSA’s utilising SCSP and STP funds, Dr Vijay Joshi, state joint director, RUSA, expressed doubts and directed Mirror to approach an officer handling accounts for clarity.Education Minister Vinod Tawde misunderstood Mirror’s query as to why SC and ST welfare funds were being given to minority colleges which do not have reservations. He replied in a text message, “Constitution allows it.”Constitution excludes minority colleges from the ambit of reservations. In 2017, the Bombay High Court, in response to a petition filed by St Xavier’s College, ordered removal of quota for SC/ST/OBC/DT/NT from minority colleges.