Thaper University rolled back quota decision

Chandigarh, May 3 : Following a tough stand taken by the Punjab government, the Thapar University Patiala rolled back its decision to abolish 50 percent quota for state students in various courses of the institution, a government official said.

"After being persuaded by Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal, the university has decided to restore the 50 percent territorial quota for the students of Punjab," a spokesman of the chief minister's office said.

The board of governors of the university has handed over a letter to principal secretary-technical education S.S. Channy, which states that the earlier decision to abolish the quota for Punjab students will not be implemented.

The state government had earlier said that it would not allow the Thapar University to go ahead with the decision, pointing out that the university had been allotted land at discounted rates and had also drawn other benefits from the government.

The university, however, said that it took the decision to abolish the quota in accordance with the University Grants Commission guidelines