In a bid to establish education centres for higher education to minorities the Union government has decided to set up five new universities for including medical. The announcement was made by Union Minister Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi announced here on Thursday.
"We want to establish five universities with world class institutions where higher education including medical and skill development will be imparted as part of efforts to empower minorities. These universities will have big campuses for residential schools, Ayurved, Unani medical education," the Union Minister of State (Independent Charge) for Minorities Affairs said.
According to him the government plans to offer 40 per cent reservation to girl students at the "world class institutions" under the proposed varsities, where, he stated, students from other than minority communities can also undertake education.
The announcement was part of a meeting of general body of Maulana Azad Education Foundation. The Minister said the Ministry has approved 16 Gurukul-type schools in Telangana, Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka and Jharkhand.
Regarding attaching minority tags to the universities, Naqvi said, "The committee will work out details and decide. But students belonging to other than minority communities can learn there. We will try to give 40 per cent quota to girl students to empower them. It will not be based on religion."
"A high-level committee will be formed in a day or two to work out roadmap within next two months, help identify places where the universities "with world class institutions" will be established and start academic sessions by 2018," Naqvi said.
"Rajasthan Chief Minister Vasundhara Raje has already suggested us five properties including three in Jaipur and one in Kota for the purpose," he added.
The Ministry has, via the Foundation, decided to float 'Garib Nawaz Skill Development Centres' across the country.
Offering 'Begum Hazrat Mahal' scholarships to girl students. Besides, students undertaking mainstream education at madrasas will also be offered scholarship henceforth to encourage them, he added.