Do not implement OBC, EWS reservations in medical PG AIQ seats, doctors file plea in Supreme Court

After much outcry from the public, activists and students, in July, the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare had announced a 27 per cent reservation for OBC students and another 10 per cent for Economically Weaker Sections (EWS) in the All India Quota (AIQ) scheme for undergraduate and postgraduate medical and dental courses. However, a group of 41 doctors who had cleared NEET PG 2021 has now approached the Supreme Court challenging this decision and seeking to not implement the reservations from the coming academic year.

The petitioners state that implementing the reservations will be disadvantageous for a large number of doctors from unreserved categories. They have asked to quash the decision to implement reservations or "to stay the effect and operation" of the decision "till the pendency of the present petition."

The petition reads, "It is most humbly submitted that the AIQ scheme was introduced in 1986 under the directions of this Hon’ble Court to provide for domicile free merit-based opportunities to students from any state to aspire to study in a good medical college located in another State. It is pertinent to note that initially there was no reservation in AIQ scheme up to 2007. In 2007, this Hon’ble Court introduced a reservation of 15% for SCs and 7.5% for STs in the AIQ scheme. The impugned decision is unconstitutional as it breaches the 50% ceiling limit imposed on reservations as laid down by this Hon’ble Court in a catena of landmark judgments."

While the petition was heard yesterday, the court is yet to deliver an order in this matter. Representing the petitioners, Senior Advocate Shyam Divan said, "Society requires doctors who have enormous merit. If we talk about the difference, 2500 PG seats are not available now. If we have to remove 2500 seats from "just merit" is a factor that should weigh with the court.

The AIQ was introduced in 1986 under the directions of the Supreme Court to provide for domicile-free merit-based opportunities to students from any state to study at a good medical college located in another state. AIQ consists of 15 per cent of the total available undergraduate seats and 50% of the total available post-graduate seats in government medical colleges. It was only in 2007 that the Supreme Court introduced a reservation of 15 per cent for SC and 7.5 per cent for ST students under the AIQ Scheme.