EWS quota row: 17 PG medical aspirants from Maharashtra seek SC intervention again

Petitioners challenge CET cell’s decision to not redo entire process

EWS quota row: Medical aspirants seek SC intervention again

The petitioners have requested the court to direct the state to issue a revised seat matrix without the EWS quota, which will allow all aspirants to fill fresh option forms and accordingly allot seats to them. (HT File)

Medical aspirants have once again sought the Supreme Court’s (SC) intervention in post graduate (PG) medical and dental admissions in the state.

A group of 17 candidates from the state have filed a petition in the Supreme Court (SC) challenging the state Common Entrance Test (CET) cell’s decision to not redo the entire admission process for PG medical and dental admissions afresh, after the apex court scrapped 10% economically weaker section (EWS) quota for these courses. The petitioners have requested the court to direct the state to issue a revised seat matrix without the EWS quota, which will allow all aspirants to fill fresh option forms and accordingly allot seats to them.

This is the second plea in the court against how the state conducted the admission process after the SC, in an interim order delivered last week, had declared that the 10% EWS quota won’t apply to medical and dental colleges in the state unless their intake is increased.

The state, following the SC order, had cancelled admissions of 143 open and EWS candidates who were admitted on the seats reserved for EWS. These seats were given to candidates who were yet to be allotted a seat and those whose admissions were cancelled.

This allotment was challenged by three aspirants in the SC. The apex court ruled the state’s method contradicts its interim order and threatened it with contempt of court. The state was directed to allow reshuffling of admissions with an extended deadline of June 4.

Following the verdict, CET cell opened the erstwhile EWS quota seats to candidates who had not confirmed the seats allotted to them. However, there was no fresh choice-filling process and the candidates were allotted seats on the basis of their original option forms.

Requesting anonymity, a petitioner said the state should allow all candidates, irrespective of whether they have confirmed their admissions or not, to participate in the revised admission process. He said these candidates should get an opportunity to apply for the seats formerly reserved for EWS.

“In many colleges, there wasn’t a single seat for open category students [in certain branches]. Why would an open category student apply for them,” he asked. He said with a fresh seat matrix, the aspirants will be in a better position to make a choice. “Everyone does permutations and combinations based on seat matrix to figure out their chances of admission. If a new seat matrix comes out, everything will change,” he said.

Earlier, the state CET cell asked the state government to provide directives to implement the SC verdict. “We are yet to receive a reply,” said Anand Rayate, commissioner, CET cell.