In a fix over the stalled first-year junior college (FYJC) admissions after the stay on the Maratha reservation, the Maharashtra government has sought legal opinion and is expected to begin the process in the next couple of days. The process of college admissions has been stalled after the Supreme Court on September 9 stayed the reservation given to Marathas in education and jobs.
In a discussion over the halted college admissions during a state cabinet meeting on Thursday, almost all the ministers expressed the need to resume the process immediately. Public works department (PWD) minister Ashok Chavan, who heads the cabinet sub-committee on Maratha reservation, proposed to complete the first round of admissions by allowing the Socially and Educationally Backward Classes (SEBC) quota as it was completed before the SC stay. He said since the Apex court has not clarified on the first round of admission which was completed before the order, the government can go ahead with it. He also said that if the court disapproves, the students can later be accommodated in the open quota.
The law and judiciary department, however, objected to the proposal and said it may go against the court ruling. The department has suggested opting for another alternative to safeguard the interest of Maratha students.
“The state government may ask the students from the Maratha community to take admission under open category with the state paying 50% of the course fee, which would have been waived off in case of the reservation. The community may also be assured about an increase in the number of seats if their students failed to secure admissions under the open category. The quota is useful only for junior college admissions and medical courses as seats to other streams like engineering remain unfilled anyways. In junior colleges, the state can increase seats by 12% to 15 % to accommodate Maratha students while MBBS students from the community can be reimbursed for their fees so that they get the quota benefit. The previous government has done so,” said a minister requesting anonymity.
{{/usCountry}}“The state government may ask the students from the Maratha community to take admission under open category with the state paying 50% of the course fee, which would have been waived off in case of the reservation. The community may also be assured about an increase in the number of seats if their students failed to secure admissions under the open category. The quota is useful only for junior college admissions and medical courses as seats to other streams like engineering remain unfilled anyways. In junior colleges, the state can increase seats by 12% to 15 % to accommodate Maratha students while MBBS students from the community can be reimbursed for their fees so that they get the quota benefit. The previous government has done so,” said a minister requesting anonymity.
{{/usCountry}}Marathas were given reservations of 12% and 13% in employment and education respectively under the SEBC Act, 2018. A three-judge Supreme Court bench, on September 9, transferred the case to a constitution bench, putting interim stay on the reservation. On Tuesday, the three-judge bench adjourned the hearing for four weeks when the issue of vacation of the stay was presented before it. This has further delayed the admission process in colleges.
There is pressure from the parents across categories to begin the admissions process, and from the Marathas to safeguards their quota in the admissions.
Skilled development minister Nawab Malik, in the meeting, even offered to keep 25% seats vacant in ITI (Industrial Training Institute) admissions until the court decides on the stay. In the cabinet meeting, he reportedly said that admissions to 85,000 seats in ITIs were getting delayed.
Food and civil supplies minister Chhagan Bhujbal said, “The issue was discussed in the cabinet at length and everyone was of the opinion that the process should resume at the earliest. Chief minister Uddhav Thackeray will speak to the advocate general for legal opinion and to find a way out.”
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