‘Give Indian students more spots in public varsities’

KUALA LUMPUR: The Indian community is appealing to the government to provide more places for Indian students in public universities.

Universiti Malaya Indian Studies lecturer Prof M. Rajantheran said the quota system implemented in public universities had hampered the educational advancement of the Indian community.

“We would like the government to reconsider and give Indian students more places in public universities. If there are 100 places available, give the best of our students 10 places, based on merit,” he said at a National Transformation 2050 programme forum with Indian youths at Universiti Malaya here yesterday.

Rajantheran pointed out that Indian students had worked hard to get good results but when they could not enter public universities or were forced to study something they did not have passion for, it would make them fall further behind.

“This will lead to a society with jobless people with low self-esteem, as their dream to be a doctor or lawyer is shattered,” he said.

Makkal Sakti president Datuk Seri R.S. Thanenthiran said failing to get into a public university despite getting (a CGPA of) 4.00 flat would only demotivate the students.

“Many of our Indian youths come from poor families and they do not have the money to study at private universities. If they could not be given a spot, maybe the government could help by providing more scholarships,” he said, adding that he had written many appeal letters to universities.

Some 250 Indian youths attended the engagement session, which was the first to be conducted in Tamil. – Bernama