Mumbai: Haj Committee slashes coaching seats, forum questions move

The Maharashtra Activists Forum, a group working for social justice and minority rights, has submitted a memorandum to Haj House in Mumbai asking it to reconsider the Haj Committee of India’s (HCI) decision to reduce the number of seats of the residential coaching institute for Civil Services that it runs for Muslim students.

Mumbai: The Maharashtra Activists Forum, a group working for social justice and minority rights, has submitted a memorandum to Haj House in Mumbai asking it to reconsider the Haj Committee of India’s (HCI) decision to reduce the number of seats of the residential coaching institute for Civil Services that it runs for Muslim students.

Officials of the Maharashtra Activist Forum met the CEO of the Haj Committee Ibrahim Sheikh and submitted the memorandum seeking to increase the number of candidates preparing for the civil service examinations at the Mumbai Haj House.

The forum members said that the HCI has reduced the number of seats from 200 to 100. "We demand the seats be once again increased to 200. Besides, the time period of coaching should be increased from one year to three years. How can a person fully prepare for Civil Services in a year?" a member of the Forum said.

The residential coaching facility by the Haj House started in 2009 with an intake of 50 students. The number gradually increased to 200 by 2021. However, in October last year, the intake was again reduced to 50. The number was eventually increased to 100 when some activists started raising questions.

The Haj House CEO said that as per the policy, only 100 candidates were offered seats at the coaching institute. "We will put the demands (of increasing the number of seats) in front of the government," he said.

Sheikh said that those candidates who had been living in the institute for years were asked to leave so that others could get the opportunity to prepare for civil service exams.

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