In late 2024, a seven-judge bench of the Supreme Court ruled on the long-running question of whether Aligarh Muslim University (AMU) can be treated as a minority institution. The bench overruled a 1968 precedent that had held AMU was not a minority institution, holding instead that a university can claim minority status under Article 30 of the Constitution. However, the Court did not decide AMU's own case finally, leaving that determination to be made afresh by a smaller bench.
The issue centres on Article 30, which protects the right of religious and linguistic minorities to establish and administer educational institutions of their choice. Whether AMU qualifies affects how far it can exercise autonomy over admissions and administration, including reservation policy, as opposed to being treated like any other university set up by a parliamentary statute. This makes the ruling significant for the broader constitutional balance between minority rights and state regulation of institutions created by law.
For exams, remember: 2024, seven-judge bench, overruled the 1968 precedent, and held minority status under Article 30 is possible for a university — but AMU's specific status remains undecided, with the matter referred back and calls for review still pending.