Source: The Indian Express

http://cities.expressindia.com/fullstory.php?newsid=165966

On January 17, 2006 The Indian Express reported, "Concerned over the number of Parsi students leaving the country to pursue higher studies abroad, the Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment is trying to find ways to check the trend. Accordingly, it is thinking of allocating seats in colleges to members of the 69,000 strong close-knit Parsi community in the country. As per the suggestions of the Ministry, which have been forwarded by the University Grants Commission to universities, including the Panjab University, which is the country’s fourth oldest university and alma mater of Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, the move to allocate seats is consequent of 'practical concern for the students of the community are increasingly going abroad in pursuit of higher education'. The letter to UGC Secretary Prof Ved Prakash, written by Ministry of Human Resource and Development Director Vivek Bhardwaj, recommends allocation of seats by giving directions to the 'chancellors of universities to use their discretionary powers on allotting one or two seats in colleges for deserving Parsi students'. The letter further adds: 'Since they (Parsi students) do not get seats in India, they settle abroad, further reducing the potential of growth of Parsi community.'"