The Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment and the National Commission for Backward Classes have summoned the Ministry of Health and Welfare for a hearing on OBC reservations in PG medical admission. The summon was issued on January 1 and the hearing is scheduled to happen on January 7 at 2.30 pm in front of a full bench.
The hearing notice stated that Bhagwan Lal Sahani, the Chairman of the NCBC had fixed a full commission hearing of the matter for an investigation. The hearing is being called in regard to the complaint filed by G Karunanidhy, the General Secretary of the All India Federation of OBC Employees Welfare Association about zero reservation for OBC candidates in PG medical admissions.
The AIOBC in its letter said that in July 2020, when the NCBC had its first hearing, the Commission had been informed that they would get the opinion of the Law Ministry and apprise the NCBC. At the October 2020 hearing, the Commission recommended that 27 per cent reservation be immediately given to the OBC community, “During the last hearing conducted before the NCBC, the Secretary of the Health Ministry assured that as soon as the report of the Committee is received, they will take immediate decision on OBC reservation. But their actions so far are contrary to their assurances and statements. The Health Ministry has not published the report of the Committee headed by Dr BD Athani or shared the report with NCBC. The order of Madras High Court that the directions of the Committee's report and implementation of reservation percentage has to be announced within three months of the order has not been honoured by the Health Ministry. The three-month window has already ended in October,” the AIOBC argued.
“Despite the unambiguous order of Madras High Court that the Central Government can implement OBC reservation and there is no impediment from the Courts and directions from NCBC to implement OBC reservation from the academic session of 2021-22, the DGHS and Secretary, MoH&FW are not providing OBC reservation and proceeding with zero reservation for OBC in the All India Quota seats for the ensuing academic year 2021-22 also,” Karunanidhy had said in his letter.
“It is really shocking that the Director, DGHS who himself is the head of the five-member Committee, has proceeded with conducting the NEET MDS 2021 without reservation for OBC candidates. We also understand that contempt of court notice has been issued by DMK to the Union Health Ministry and National Medical Commission for failing to implement the order of the Madras High Court that directed the Central Government to sort out the OBC reservation issue within three months,” the Association said.
According to the AIOBC, OBC students have lost nearly 3758 PG/UG seats under the All India Quota during the current academic year 2020-21 alone and in the past also, have lost thousands of PG/UG seats in AIQ every year due to the denial of OBC reservation by the Health Ministry. Political parties in Tamil Nadu have taken up the issue of reservation with the Supreme Court and the Madras High Court. When the Centre said that it would not be able to give reservations for the OBCs this year, the DMK took up the issue with the Courts again, unsuccessfully.
