Will speak to Eknath Shinde, Devendra Fadnavis on 5 percent Muslim quota in education: Ajit Pawar

Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar said he will discuss a five per cent quota in educational admissions for the Muslim community with Chief Minister Eknath Shinde and deputy CM Devendra Fadnavis.

Back in 2014, during the tenure of the Congress-led government, a five percent reservation for Muslims in educational institution admissions was introduced alongside a quota for job opportunities and education for the Maratha community. But the subsequent BJP-Shiv Sena government dropped the Muslim quota when it brought in a legislation to provide reservation to the Marathas.

Speaking at a meeting of the Minority Welfare Department at the state headquarters Mantralaya, Pawar said the five per cent educational quota for the minority community had not faced any legal hurdle (unlike the Maratha reservation).

I will discuss the issue with Shinde and Fadnavis before taking a decision, he said. Pawar, who also holds the finance portfolio, assured that recommendations of a committee headed by the chief secretary to bring uniformity in the schemes implemented through institutions like Babasaheb Ambedkar Research and Training Institute (BARTI), Chhatrapati Shahu Maharaj Research and Training Institute (SARTHI) and Mahatma Jyotiba Phule Research and Training Institute (MAHAJYOTI) will be applicable to the Maulana Azad Economic Development Corporation too.