Govt starts paying refund to med students who lost govt college seat to Maratha quota

In 2019, the then BJP-led Maharashtra government introduced a 16% reservation quota in admissions to professional course

Mumbai More than two years after nearly 112 medical and dental aspirants lost their merit-earned seat in a government institute and subsequently had to opt for a seat in a private one due to the sudden introduction of the Maratha quota, the government started the refund process.

Activists allege that nearly 250 students were affected by the sudden inclusion of both the Maratha quota as well as the economically weaker sections (EWS) quotas in 2019 (Praful Gangurde)

This amount was promised to students—106 undergraduate students enrolled in the 4.5-year MBBS course and six postgraduate medical and dental students—by the then BJP-led government and was finally approved by the current MVA government in the state cabinet in August 2021.

“The official approval for the refund came through last year and we were waiting to hear from the government about the refund, as well as payment of fees for the second academic year. We have received the refund for the fees we paid in the first year. Second year onwards, the government directly started paying the fees to the respective institute. We are thankful that the medical institute never insisted on the fees in the second year since the matter was sub judice, but waited for the direct payment to come through the government itself,” said Juga Chirania, father of one of the students.

Chirania’s daughter was originally allotted a seat in a government medical college but had to forgo the seat after the inclusion of the Maratha quota, and instead was placed in NKP Salve Medical College, a private medical college in Nagpur. While the fees at the GMC was around one lakh rupees for the academic year, the fees that they paid at the private medical college was nearly ₹10.5 lakh a year. The government had promised a 90% refund and Chirania received a refund of nearly ₹8.5 lakh for the first year.

In 2019, the then BJP-led Maharashtra government introduced a 16% reservation quota in admissions to professional courses. Admissions to UG medical courses was underway and the sudden inclusion of new quota seats meant fewer seats for students in the open category. The direct impact of the new quota was felt by over 100 UG and PG medical students who despite higher marks, missed their open category seat in a government medical institute and were instead placed in a private medical institute.

A long legal battle ensued and after the court’s intervention, the MVA government in August 2021 approved the refund of ₹7.5 crore per year to the 112 affected students. Since parents had already paid the fees for the first academic year, the refund of the excess fees paid by students was refunded starting Tuesday.

While parents are happy about the move, many are still awaiting justice. Activists allege that nearly 250 students were affected by the sudden inclusion of both the Maratha as well as the economically weaker sections (EWS) quotas in 2019. “The figures approved by the government is for only half the affected students, so our fight continues. We are happy at least these students are finally getting justice,” said Sudha Shenoy, activist fighting for the rights of medical aspirants.