Maratha quota: State looks at ways for medical students to keep quota seats
The Maharashtra government may be planning an ordinance to uphold the admissions of at least 253 postgraduate medical and dental students from the Maratha community.
The Maharashtra government may be planning an ordinance to uphold the admissions of at least 253 postgraduate medical and dental students from the Maratha community. The move comes after the Supreme Court, last week, rejected the state’s plea and said reservation for Maratha students under the Socially and Educationally Backward Classes (SEBC) quota will not apply to any postgraduate medical and dental courses this year.
The SC ruling necessitated fresh admissions for these courses, and cancelled admissions already granted under the quota.
Following protests by some students, the state government said it has worked out a solution and has asked the Election Commission (EC) to relax the election model code of conduct so that it can announce its decision.
Chandrakant Patil, the state’s revenue minister, refused to share details of the decision as the poll code is in effect, but said, “I can assure students that chief minister Devendra Fadnavis has taken a decision that addresses their complaints.The state government has found a solution and has requested the Election Commission to relax the poll code.” A senior government official said the state was planning to promulgate an ordinance under the SEBC Act to uphold the admissions of the Maratha students. The official did not wish to be named. In addition, the state has also asked the Centre if Maharashtra’s quota of postgraduate medical seats can be increased this year.
“We are expecting at least 100 more postgraduate medical seats for the state. The state’s medical education department has sent a letter to the Centre about this,” Patil told reporters. The state government has also asked the SC to extend the admission deadline to May 31 from May 25, the date fixed by the court.
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