Parents demand 85% quota for state students

MUMBAI: Admissions to medical and dental institutes in the state might miss the September 30 deadline set by the Supreme Court this April. While the petition in

MUMBAI: Admissions to medical and dental institutes in the state might miss the September 30 deadline set by the Supreme Court this April. While the petition in SC has been postponed by another day, the state has demanded that no special quota be kept aside for students from outside Maharashtra in state private institutes.

HT Image

“We have sought that 85% seats be kept aside for students from our state and the remaining 15% can be divided between others,” said Dr Pravin Shingare, director, Directorate of Medical Education & Research (DMER).

Until last year, while deemed institutes conducted their own admissions, nine private ones falling under state government followed 85% domicile seats.

Based on a provision of the Maharashtra private unaided professional educational institutions (regulation of admission and fees) Act, 2015, government institutes and these nine private institutes started following admission quotas — 85% seats for students with state domicile.

“These institutes are using resources of the state so it’s only right that 85% seats go to students from the state,” said Rajesh Jain, state member of the Parents’ Association for Medical Students (PAMS). “It makes sense to follow the same rule this year and for the next few years because our children are yet to catch up with the CBSE syllabus.”

He added that this rule can change only once the CBSE syllabus, on which the National Eligibility-cum-Entrance Test (NEET) is based, is applied in phases can the state government get rid of the domicile quota.

Parents of medical and dental aspirants in the state are not eagerly awaiting the verdict from Bombay high court which will hopefully bring clarity to admissions to private institutes in the state. “Our children have already missed out on government seats and deemed as well. The least we expect is that government fights for us to get full quota in private institutes,” said Shreedevi Poduval, a parent.

Parents said they won’t shy away from dragging the case to the Supreme Court if the verdict doesn’t go in their favour. While the Bombay HC has reserved it’s verdict on medical and dental admissions to private institutes to Friday, a petition filed by the DMER in SC will be heard on Thursday.