IMA splits over quota controversy

Doctors belonging to backward classes set up a new body to favour government's reservation proposal.

Close on the heels of division in the AIIMS' faculty on issue of quota, cracks appeared in the Indian Medical Association, which has been supporting the agitationists, with the doctors belonging to backward classes setting up a new body to favour government's reservation proposal.

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Indian National Medical Association, the new "apolitical" group, accused some doctors of the forward classes of dominating the medical body, and alleged these doctors were "politically motivated" in flaring up the anti-reservation agitation.

"If the Constitution has provided the provision of reservation to uplift the SC/ST and backward classes, why these doctors are opposing it," Dr SP Singh, President of the newly-setup group, said.

Reservation is needed to give social justice to backward groups, he said adding those who are opposing reservation should go to villages to see the real picture of the country.

The group also said that while a lot of noise was being made on the issue of merit, nobody questioned the merit of those who get admissions in medical colleges by paying capitation fee.

"Scientifically, it has been proven that genetics contributes only 10 per cent to intelligence while 90 per cent is contributed by environment," Singh said adding the government move would benefit unprivileged classes.

The group demands the reservation for OBCs in proportion to their population, that is, 55 per cent in all educational institutes, Dr UK Chowdhary, general secretary, of the group said.