As first-year junior college admissions kick into high gear in Mumbai, students are all eyes and ears, eager to dive into the process. Minority cutoffs are already out, and admissions are underway for students from minority communities.
Quest for minority quota seats
In a twist of fate, the Mithibai College applicants have turned bureaucratic hurdles into a game of determination and resilience, worthy of a blockbuster movie plot. To secure the seats reserved under the Gujarati minority quota, applicants must establish their eligibility using extensive documentation.
The colleges offer a certain number of seats specifically for students from minority communities, for which students need to verify their identity. However, the verification process this year has been particularly stringent all across Mumbai, requiring students to provide a range of documents, including their minority certificate or affidavit or parents' mark sheets, marriage certificates, and even marriage invitation cards.
In certain instances, parents needed to present their old school mark sheets to prove they had studied Gujarati as a subject. Although this additional requirement is challenging, it highlights the genuineness of their claim to minority status. Despite the demanding nature of the process, many families have been approaching it positively, viewing it as a reaffirmation of their cultural identity.
Student's personal experience with document verification
One student who wishes to stay anonymous shared his experience, "I had to ask my parents for their marksheet to prove that they belonged to the minority and that they had studied the particular language during their time. It was stressful, but my parents were incredibly supportive."
Another student recalled how her mother had to dig out an old invitation card from their family wedding album. "It was like going down memory lane, but we knew it was important for my future," she said.
Mithibai College administration has acknowledged this and emphasised the importance of maintaining a rigorous verification process to ensure that the reserved seats benefit the rightful candidates.
Verficiation process for Gujarati quota admission
While talking with The Free Press Journal, Mithibai College authorities informed that the reason for the stringent requirement is to ensure that only those who are Gujarati by origin can get admitted under the quota as certain similar surnames are used by other communities as well.
Students from Gujarat cannot claim minority status for admission in Maharashtra. Dr. Kishan Pawar, the principal of KJ Somaiya College of Arts and Commerce, explained the process, "Students must submit a certificate from a registered association or society proving their minority community status. Additionally, they must have lived in Maharashtra for at least 15 years to claim Gujarati minority status."
Dr. Pawar also noted an interesting trend, "Many students who apply for the minority quota find Gujarati a difficult subject and prefer other subjects instead."
