MBBS admission quota in unaided colleges cut by 50%, students erupt
The Directorate of Medical Education and Research (DMER) confirmed the move through a govt notification of 2006.
Dr Babasaheb Ambedkar National Students Federation in Nagpur has claimed that quota for Scheduled Castes (SC), Scheduled Tribes (ST), Vimukta Jatis (VJ), Nomadic Tribes (NT) and Other Backward Classes (OBCs) was illegally reduced by half, pushing hundreds of students to the brink of losing their rightful seats.
According to the federation, this arbitrary decision of the state's medical education and drugs department has resulted in 766 reserved category aspirants being denied admission to MBBS courses this year in private colleges. A memorandum has been already submitted to the SC/ST Commission seeking urgent intervention.
"Maharashtra has 23 private unaided medical colleges with a total intake of 3,219 MBBS seats.
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As per constitutional provisions, 1,533 seats should have been reserved for backward communities. Shockingly, only 767 have been allotted," alleged Dr Siddhant Bharne, president of the federation.
Breaking down the numbers, the federation claimed Scheduled Castes (13%) were entitled to 398 seats, but only 199 were earmarked, while Scheduled Tribes (7%) should have received 215 seats, but just 107 were reserved.
Similarly, OBCs (19%) were eligible for 583 seats, but only 292 were allotted.
A senior official with Directorate of Medical Education and Research (DMER) told TOI that a 2006 govt notification had fixed reservation at 25% in unaided medical colleges. "It was the policy decision of the Maharashtra govt after Supreme Court allowed respective states to fix the quota only in private colleges," he told TOI.
However, the federation president Dr Bharne said, "This is nothing less than an organised conspiracy to deprive backward class students of medical education.
Instead of safeguarding the rights of underprivileged communities, the govt has trampled upon them. We will not remain silent while hundreds of deserving students are robbed of their future."
Calling it a "blatant violation of constitutional rights," the federation demanded that chief minister Devendra Fadnavis intervene to restore full reservation immediately and ensure justice to the affected students.
"We noticed this now, and hence we are raising the voice against the injustice now. Any injustice going on for years doesn't mean it must continue. This type of injustice by the medical education department towards backward category students has been going on since the last 19 years," said Dr Bharne.
The federation warned of intensified protests if corrective measures are not taken, while also urging the SC/ST Commission to issue strict directions.
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