KUALA LUMPUR, July 29- MIC treasurer-general, Senator Datuk Jaspal Singh today called for the quota system to be reinstated to increase the enrolment of Indian students into the public universities.
He noted that since the meritocracy system was introduced seven years ago, the intake of Indian students into public universities dropped tremendously, especially into high-demand faculties such as the medical, dentistry, pharmacy and engineering faculties.
“Under the previous quota system, Indian students were allocated nearly 10 per cent of places in the public universities.
“The quota system will ensure that places are allocated in a way that does not disadvantage those from poor and rural backgrounds, while ensuring that top performers are enrolled into courses of their choice,” he said in a statement, here, Sunday.
Jaspal claimed that this year’s intake saw many students with a Cumulative Grade Point Average (CGPA) of 4.0 not getting courses of their choice or not given places at all.
Jaspal also suggested that the government allocate some 4,000 places for Indian students in the public universities annually, and the students be accepted into university based on their A-level, Sijil Tinggi Pelajaran Malaysia (STPM) or matriculation examination results.
Jaspal said he had also requested the government to offer scholarships to students with a 4.0 CGPA to pursue their preferred course in private universities if they did not get places in the public universities.
He also welcomed Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak’s statement on requesting the Education Ministry to review this year’s university intake.
– BERNAMA
