Ahead of bash, a gift for host and dost, courtesy Akhilesh’s cabinet

To bring the institute, which was a brainchild of Azam, under the Trust was an over-due demand of the senior minister. The institute was established on his initiative with the motive to act as a resource centre for minority related data and to undertake research on minority related issues. While the institute was first conceptualised under the previous Samajwadi Party government, when Mulayam Singh Yadav was the Chief Minister, it was shelved soon after Mayawati government came to power in 2007.

The project was, however, revived after Akhilesh became CM in 2012. While the building for the research institute has been completed, which includes academic block, hostels, auditorium as well as residential houses, sources inform that the staff and other administrative posts are yet to be filled.

Apart from clearing transfer of the institute to the Trust, proposal to establish model schools separately for boys and girls in 20 minority dominated districts was also cleared through same cabinet by circulation on Thursday evening. Even this proposal was also long pending and was announced long time back. Sources in the government inform that these districts would be selected on the basis of the highest minority population. In yet another decision, the state government has decided to enforce governance and academic reforms as per the norms laid by various regulatory bodies like UGC, AICTE, MCI and BCI for establishing various private universities. Now private institutes would have to ensure enrollment of at least 4,000 students to get status of university, introduce online management information system, make online the entrance process and result declaration and maintain student and teacher ratio of 20:1 with the target to reduce it to 15:1.

Chief Secretary Alok Ranjan confirmed the decisions and said, “Yes, the decisions have been taken by cabinet by circulation but details are yet to be formalised.”