Why AMU’s minority status is back in the spotlight today

When Indira Gandhi Government Brought An Act Of Parliament To 'Restore' AMU's Minority Status

Dear reader,

Today, the Supreme Court took a new look at whether Aligarh Muslim University (AMU) should be considered a minority institution. This is a long-standing debate, stretching back to a 1967 ruling that said AMU isn’t a minority institution because it was set up by the government.

Later, in 1981, the Indira Gandhi government passed a law to restore AMU’s minority status. But in 2005, the Allahabad High Court overturned that law, and AMU’s status has been in question ever since.

Now, the Supreme Court has introduced a new way to assess if an institution qualifies for minority status, but it hasn’t yet decided if AMU itself meets these criteria.

Earlier this year, we put together a primer of sorts about that 1981 amendment and today we've updated it updated to reflect the recent Supreme Court ruling. Give it a read and tell us what you think.

Raghu