Haryana govt revises guideline for grant of minority status

Haryana Government has issued revised guidelines related to land, admission and fees to grant minority status to educational institutes in the state.
"The government will accord minority status to an applicant institute only if a minimum of its two-third members in the Society or Trust belong to the same minority community," a spokesperson said today, adding they must submit a certificate, issued by the Sub Divisional Officer (Civil), for each member as proof.
"At the time of submission of application, the sponsoring body should be in possession of two acres of land either by way of ownership or on a perpetual irrevocable lease of at least 33 years if land falls in municipal limits and five acres if the land falls in rural area, he said, adding change of land use might be deposited as the case may be," he said.

The society or trust will also submit an undertaking that the land will be only used for the proposed institution and not other institution would be formed or raised on the land, he said, in case of a degree college it would be compulsory to start at least two streams of instructions.
Aims and objectives of the educational institute should be incorporated in its bylaws, which should clearly specify it is meant to primarily serve the interests of the minority community to which it belongs, he said.
"The institution will not compel any student or employee to participate in any of its religious activities and it would observe laws related to educational institutions," the spokesperson said, adding it would do nothing which comes in the way of communal and social harmony.

In aided minority institutions, admission from the community should say up to 50 per cent and on the basis of merit, he added.
"The fee will be as prescribed by the affiliating university or the state government," he said, cautioning recognition can be withdrawn if instructions, rules and regulations are violated.
The Principal Secretary of the Higher Education department will be the competent authority to grant recognition, he added.