New Delhi: The Supreme Court agreed Monday to hear pleas challenging the Centre’s decision to implement 27 per cent quota for Other Backward Class (OBC) and 10 per cent for Economically Weaker Section (EWS) category in NEET admissions for medical courses.
A bench of Justices DY Chandrachud, Vikram Nath and Hima Kohli issued notice on the petitions to Centre and Medical Counselling Committee (MCC) and tagged them with a pending matter.
Senior advocate Arvind P Datar, appearing for petitioner Neil Aurelio Nunes and others, submitted that the decision is against the order of Madras High Court as it also raises question whether there should be horizontal or vertical reservation. The apex court bench said that it will issue notice and tagged the matter.
Senior advocate Vikas Singh, appearing for another petitioner Yash Tekwani and others, said that in an earlier verdict it was held by the top court that there will be no reservation in higher degree courses. The Supreme Court bench told him that it is already issuing notice in connected matter and seeking response from the respondents in two weeks.
Singh said that the decision of Centre will have its impact on National Eligibility cum Entrance Test (NEET). Tekwani and others have said in the plea that they are doctors who possess a recognised degree of Bachelor of Medicine and Bachelor of Surgery (MBBS) awarded by a university or institute in India and registered with the State Medical Council.
The petition filed through advocate Tanvi Dubey said that the petitioners have obtained provisional/permanent registration and they are aspirants for NEET-PG 2021, which is proposed to be conducted September 11.
“That the Petitioners have filed the present writ petition under Article 32 of the Constitution of India to bring to the notice of this Court the grave and serious problems faced by thousands of students across the country in view of notice dated July 29, issued by the Respondent No. 1 Medical Counselling Committee (MCC))”, the plea said.
The plea said that the Petitioners and similarly affected candidates were shocked to note that the MCC vide the impugned notice had resolved to implement 27 per cent OBC reservation and 10 per cent EWS reservation in 15 per cent UG and 50 per cent PG All India Quota seats (MBBS/BDS and MD/MS/MDS) with effect from the current academic session 2021-22.
The petitioners sought quashing of the notice dated July 29, issued by the MCC providing for implementation of prescribed reservation criteria with effect from the current academic session 2021-22.
They have also sought direction by the Supreme Court to MCC to proceed with the NEET-PG 2021 sans reservation policy provided under the impugned notice for this academic year.
They said that as per the reservation policy, the overall reservation in 15 per cent UG and 50 per cent PG All India Quota seats would be–SC – 15 per cent, ST – 7.5 per cent, OBC- (non-creamy layer) as per the Central OBC list-27 per cent, Economically Weaker Section- as per Central Government norms- 10 per cent and persons with disability-5 per cent horizontal reservation as per norms.
