Founders quota in Alagappa Engineering College scrapped

The first bench headed by Chief Justice Indira Banerjee, while terming the founders quota in Dr Alagappa Chettiar College of Engineering and Technology as illegal, directed the state government not to fill the 12 seats, which were earmarked under the unique quota. 

The bench held that “The college is presently run by the government. Prima facie, it appears that reservation of 12 seats under the founder’s quota is illegal as per Supreme Court order. There will, therefore, be an interim order directing the authorities of the state to proceed with the selection of candidates. However, no admission shall be made in the founder’s quota until further orders of this court. Admissions may, however, be made in the general quota and other quotas if any.” 

The interim order had come about on a public interest litigation moved by E Shankar, an advocate of Madras High Court, seeking a declaration that the admission of students in the above college under the “Founder’s Quota” as illegal, void, and contrary to the provisions of Tamil Nadu Admission in Professional Educational Institutions Act, 2006.

The petitioner alleged that the candidates, who were either not eligible nor have the due cut-off marks are admitted in the above college under the guise of founders quota. He said the process had turned out to be a huge racket every year, with government seats being sold for a huge sum.

The college, which was run by Dr Alagappa Chettiar Educational Trust, was handed over to the government in 1985 after it took over certain liabilities of the said institution following which it had become a government college. The plea claimed that even thereafter, permission to the trustees to fill the government seats according to their whims and fancies, takes away the valuable rights of meritorious students.

The bench on directing AICTE and Anna University to file their counters on June 6, posted the case for further hearing to June 14.