NEW DELHI: A day after the Supreme Court stayed implementation of the 27 per cent quota for the Other Backward Classes, Central universities and other institutes here are awaiting a directive from the Union Human Resources Development Ministry before deciding on their next move.

The court stay has come as a "breather" for Delhi University, Jawaharlal Nehru University, Jamia Millia Islamia and the Indian Institute of Technology, Delhi, which till Thursday were bracing themselves for implementing the Central Educational Institutions (Reservation in Admission) Act, 2006.

"Everyone was kind of scared on how to go about reservation and how it would be implemented. After Thursday's decision, I think we all have time to put our minds together constructively to see how this can best be implemented," Delhi University Vice-Chancellor Deepak Pental said on Friday. Pointing out that the country needed expansion of facilities and infrastructure in higher education, Prof. Pental said he had held a meeting of the principals of all colleges on Thursday to discuss the issue.

The JNU administration also held discussions with the various centres on reservation. Though the court order created an atmosphere of ambiguity, JNU would go ahead with the exercise to accommodate the OBCs in the coming academic session, Vice-Chancellor B.B. Bhattacharya said.

"In the light of the new development, we are waiting for a clarification from the HRD Ministry. We can't directly take notice of the court order and act on our own. As of now, we are talking to different centres because seats will be increased as per the subjects. There would also be the need to construct additional science laboratories, libraries, computer rooms and hostel accommodation for the increased number of students."

A report on reservation would be presented before the JNU Academic Council on April 10. "We will decide on how to implement reservation as per the funds given by the Ministry," the Vice-Chancellor said.

Jamia Millia Islamia Vice-Chancellor Mushirul Hasan said though the situation was now uncertain, his university would opt for a staggered approach to implementation of reservation as and when directed by the Ministry.

Pointing out that the IIT Delhi had recently revised its master plan and was in the "process of meeting the challenges," Registrar Rajendra Singh said: "We will increase a certain number of seats in the first year, a few more in the second year and the remaining in the last year. We are waiting and watching as of now. Let's see what action the Ministry takes."

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