Image Courtesy : www.hckerala.gov.in

The Kerala High Court has revoked the order of the Kerala Directorate of Minority Welfare Board regarding the distribution of scholarships to Muslim/ Latin Catholic/ Converted Christian category students at the ratio of 80:20.

The court's division bench led by Chief Justice Manikumar and Justice Shaji P Chaly ordered the government to devise a new plan. This new plan must benefit students of both communities equally, directed HC. The court also said the Welfare Board's order was not legally sustainable.

The court’s order came after a petition which was filed by Justin P of Palakkad. The petition said that the fixation ratio was not actually based on the two communities' actual population. He mentioned that it was highly biased to one particular community and the state government was supporting it.

But the Kerala Govt argued that the unemployment rate among Christian community was 31.9 %, Muslim 52%, and backward Hindus 40%. Apart from this, the report of the Sachar Committee also highlighted the backwardness of Muslim community in education field and the requirement to improve their educational standards. But the HC said the decision of the government was unsupported by law as it was unconstitutional.

Under the scheme, the Kerala government, every year, provides 5000 scholarships to graduate and post-graduate students, especially girl students. The scheme was later extended to converted Christians and Latin Catholic students.