West Bengal envisages 30 Percent Reservation in NUJS for State Domiciles, fee waiver for economically backward

The West Bengal government is proposing to reserve a minimum of 30 percent of the seats in the National University of Juridical Sciences (NUJS) Kolkata to students who are domiciled in the State of West Bengal.

It is also proposing to provide fee waiver to poor and economically backward students.

The Bill seeking to amend the West Bengal NUJS Act, 1999 envisages these changes.

As per the Amendment Bill, Section 4A is proposed to be inserted into the NUJS Act which will provide for at least 30 percent reservation for State domiciles. Section 4A(3) in the Bill states:

“The University shall compulsorily make provision for reservation of seats for the students domiciled in the State of West Bengal to the extent of at least 30 percent of the total intake in the University.”  

Besides domicile reservation, the Bill also proposes other changes.

It seeks to vest the power to determine tuition fees, with the State government. Currently the same is decided by the University.

The amendment, Section 4A(1) in the Bill, states;

“The tuition fees in the University shall be such as may be determined by the State government from time to time.”

The Bill also proposes tuition fee waiver for at least 5 percent of the students from poor and economically backward sections of the society. Section 4A (2) of the Bill states:

“The University shall allow free-ship in tuition fees to at least 5 per centum of their total strength to students belonging to poor and economically backward classes.”

Most interesting is Section 4B which lays down provision for admission of students. 4B(1) states that admission of the student shall be made on the basis of merit.

4B(2) provides that merit for admission to the University may be determined either on the basis of the marks or grade obtained in the qualifying exam or on the basis of marks obtained in the relevant entrance exam conducted by the University at the National or State level.

The Amendment Bill is likely to be taken up in the Assembly for discussion soon.

Read the amendment Bill below.