After social quotas stay, FYJC seat matrices not yet updated | Mumbai News

Mumbai: Days after Bombay HC stayed implementation of social reservations in minority institutions in first-year junior college (FYJC) admissions, the state govt is yet to make changes in seat matrices on the official portal.The school education department issued a notification to colleges on Monday asking them to surrender vacant seats in in-house, management and minority quotas from zero round. But many minority institutions have not filled their in-house and management seats as the department did not update the seat matrices after HC’s June 12 order. As per the department’s seat distribution, colleges would get only half their quota share in in-house and management seats, which was challenged in HC.Maharashtra Association of Minority Educational Institutions, which had moved HC against implementation of social reservations, and a few other colleges have written to the department seeking clarity. The association asked the state “to remove the data related to social relations from the FYJC portal”, adding that HC had specified that the mandate of social reservation will not be made applicable to any seat in minority educational institutions. It also urged govt to “ensure that the seats allotted to in-house quota of 10% and management quota is calculated on the overall seats sanctioned and not on the seats remaining after deducting the 50% minority seats”.A principal said they are consulting legal representatives to understand the implications of govt’s move. “We do not know why the process is being delayed despite the court order. If govt does not change the seat matrices and does not allow students to edit their choices, there could be confusion later. We are not filling our management seats for now.”A department official said seat matrices will be changed as per the HC order before the first round allotment on June 26. He said giving edit options to students is not a viable solution at this stage and could lead to more chaos. “But we are internally checking how many students would have opted for reserved category seats in minority colleges and are working out the best possible solution. We will ensure no student is affected. Also, students will have the option of editing their forms in the second round.”