Correspondence Regarding the Sind University Bill Addressed to M.A. Jinnah

Sub title : Citizens' Committee's Representation and Proposed Amendments

Subject: Controversy over the Sind University Bill (1947) | Opposition to communal representation in university governance

Date of publication: 1947

Language: English

Page: 13 p.

Source: National Archives of Pakistan

Serial no: 28102

Keyword: M.A. Jinnah -- Sind University Bill 1947 -- Communal representation -- Citizens' Committee | Durgdas B. Advani -- Educational policy -- Minority rights -- Pre-partition Sind | Political interference in education -- University governance

Abstract: This collection comprises letters and statements from the Citizens' Committee, chaired by Durgdas B. Advani, to M.A. Jinnah, opposing the Sind University Bill of 1947. The documents criticize the bill's communal provisions—which allocated 70% of Senate seats to Muslims—and its bureaucratic overreach. The committee proposes amendments to remove communal ratios, reduce political interference, and safeguard minority educational rights. Jinnah's brief reply indicates his limited ability to intervene at a late legislative stage. The materials highlight tensions over education policy, communalism, and minority rights in pre-Partition Sind.

Description: These documents capture a critical moment in 1947 when the Sind Government introduced a controversial university bill with explicit communal quotas. The Citizens' Committee—representing largely non-Muslim educational interests—appealed to M.A. Jinnah to oppose the bill, citing fears of political control and the erosion of academic standards. Included are detailed amendment proposals, expert criticisms, and Jinnah's polite but non-committal response. The correspondence illustrates the complex interplay between education, politics, and communal identity in the final months of British rule in Sind, and reflects broader debates about minority safeguards and institutional autonomy during the transition to independence. SCANNED BY: NATIONAL ARCHIVES OF PAKISTAN.

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