New Delhi: The National Commission for Minority Educational Institutions Act, 2004 (NCMEI) has been replaced by the National Commission for Minority Educational Institutions Act 2004 (2 of 2005) which was notified on January 6, 2005.

The Act was established through the promulgation of an ordinance dated November 11, 2004.

The key objective of the Act is to ensure the true amplitude of the educational rights enshrined in Article 30(1) of the Constitution and provide them to the members of the notified religious minority communities.

The Commission, which has been in existence for three years, has faced certain practical difficulties in implementing some of the provisions of the Act.

The Ministry of Human Resource Development (MHRD) has also, from time to time received several suggestions in regard to the Act (2 of 2005) from various cross-sections of the minorities, which were referred to the Commission.

Considering views and suggestions expressed by various stake-holders, the Commission has recommended certain amendments to the NCMEI Act. Accordingly, Cabinet has given its approval to the Amendment of Section 2, Section 3, Section 10 and Section 12B of the NCMEI Act.

One of the important amendments is to increase the number of members of the Commission, other than the Chairperson, from the existing 2 to 3 in order to enable the Commission to deal with the increasing number of matters before it.