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Origins of AMU:
- 1875: AMU traces its roots to the Muhammadan Anglo-Oriental (MOA) College established by Sir Syed Ahmad Khan.
- The college was established to provide Western education alongside Islamic theology, aiming to uplift the educational status of Muslims and prepare them for government services.
- 1920: It was granted university status, becoming Aligarh Muslim University.
Meaning of ‘Minority Character’ in Education:
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Supreme Court’s Stance on AMU’s Minority Status:
- The legal debate over AMU’s minority status began with the 1967 case of ‘S. Azeez Basha vs Union of India’.
- The Supreme Court ruled that AMU was not established by the Muslim minority and hence could not claim the status of a minority institution.
- It emphasized that AMU was set up through a central Act and was not solely operated by Muslims.
Persistent Legal Issues:
- 1981: An amendment to the AMU Act explicitly recognized its minority status.
- 2005: AMU’s reservation policy for Muslim candidates in postgraduate courses was challenged and overturned by the Allahabad High Court, which also nullified the 1981 Act amendment.
- 2006: The Supreme Court received petitions, including one from the Union government, challenging the High Court’s decision.
- 2016: The Union government withdrew its appeal, asserting that a minority institution cannot be set up by the government in a secular state.
Why in News:
- The Supreme Court of India has begun hearing a case concerning the minority status of Aligarh Muslim University (AMU).
