Hyderabad, July 13: About 25,000 seats in schools and junior colleges run under Telangana Minority Residential Educational Institutions Society (TMREIS) are still vacant, reflecting lack of interest by Muslims in enrolling their children.
Though the admissions for academic year 2024-25 started six months ago, about 25,000 seats are yet to be filled.
Under the non-minority quota all 30,000 seats have been filled. TMREIS Secretary Ayesh Masarrath Khanam, IAS, herself admitted that 200 non-minority students were admitted under minority quota. Non-minority students are still being given admissions on the recommendation of public representatives. She says that applications for such admissions can’t be rejected under Right to Education Act.
The official has appealed to minorities to admit their children in TMREIS schools which are giving quality education. She said the awareness campaign for admissions into TMREIS schools was also affected due to the model code of conduct for Lok Sabha elections.
Minority residential schools have 90,000 seats, including 30,000 seats under non-minority quota.
For the educational development of minorities, the Telangana government established 204 residential schools for minorities and they were later upgraded to junior colleges. A total of 107 residential schools are functioning for boys while 97 schools are meant for girls. The Society is also running 12 vocational colleges.
Meanwhile, there is concern among some sections of Muslim community over the large number of seats in minority residential schools remaining vacant. They also express the apprehension that due to the neglect by the Muslim community, these institutions may be shut down or merged with regular government schools.
Telangana Muslim Intellectual Forum general secretary Riaz Ali Rizvi has appealed to Muslim parents to enrol their children in minority residential schools for their bright future.
The government is spending Rs.1 lakh for accommodation, food and to meet other expenses.
“It is unfortunate that the community is not availing this golden opportunity. We are giving an excuse to others to occupy our seats. It’s possible that in future these schools may be merged with government schools,” he said
He also blamed the authorities concerned for not taking up an awareness programme to improve enrolment. He took exception to non-minorities being allotted seats under minority quota. When Muslims are not given admissions in non-minority educational institutions, why is this being done in minority schools, he asked
He appealed to political, social and religious organisations to focus on the issue and create an awareness among the community so that the minority residential educational institutions can be protected.
It was in 2017 that TMREIS was launched with the aim of providing quality education and holistic development opportunities to the minority communities in the state.
The society was formed in 2017 under the Telangana State Public Societies Registration Act with a vision to bridge the educational gap and promote social inclusion among minority communities. TMREIS aims to create an environment where students from minority backgrounds can access quality education, develop their talents, and build a strong foundation for their future.
