In this Act, unless the context otherwise requires,—

(a) "affiliation " together with its grammatical variations, includes, in relation to a college, recognition of such college by, association of such college with, and admission of such college to the privileges of, a ¹ *** University;

² [(aa) appropriate Government means,—

(i) in relation to an educational institution recognised for conducting its programmes of studies under any Act of Parliament, the Central Government; and

(ii) in relation to any other educational institution recognised for conducting its programmes of studies under any State Act, a State Government in whose jurisdiction such institution is established;]

³ * * * * *

(c) "Commission " means the National Commission for Minority Educational Institutions constituted under section 3;

² [(ca) "Competent authority " means the authority appointed by the appropriate Government to grant no objection certificate for the establishment of any educational institution of their choice by the minorities;]

(d) "degree " means any such degree as may, with previous approval of the Central Government, be specified in this behalf by the University Grants Commission, by notification in the Official Gazette;

² [(da) "educational rights to minorities " means the rights of minorities to establish and administer educational institutions of their choice;]

(e) "Member " means a member of the Commission and includes the Chairperson;

(f) "minority ", for the purpose of this Act, means a community notified as such by the Central Government;

⁴ [(g) "Minority Educational Institution " means a college or an educational institution established and administered by a minority or minorities;]

(h) "prescribed " means prescribed by rules made under this Act;

(i) "qualification " means a degree or any other qualification awarded by a University;

⁵ * * * * *

(k) "technical education " has the meaning assigned to it in clause (g) of section 2 of the All India Council for Technical Education Act, 1987 (52 of 1987);

(l) "University " means a university defined under clause (f) of section 2 of the University Grants Commission Act, 1956 (3 of 1956), and includes an institution deemed to be a University under section 3 of that Act, or an institution specifically empowered by an Act of Parliament to confer or grant degrees.

1. The word "Scheduled " omitted by Act 18 of 2006, s.2 (w.e.f. 23-1-2006).
2. Ins. by s. 2, ibid. (w.e.f. 23-1-2006).
3. Cl. (b) omitted by Act 20 of 2010, s. 2 (w.e.f.1-9-2010).
4. Subs. by s. 2, ibid., for cl. (g) (w.e.f. 1-9-2010).
5. Cl. (j) omitted by Act 18 of 2006, s. 2 (w.e.f. 23-1-2006).