'Ensure 27 pc OBC reservations in Central Medical Institutes'

Noting that implementation of 27 per cent reservation for OBC students in Central Medical Institutes is not "up to the mark", a parliamentary panel has urged the Health Ministry to take up periodical reviews to ensure its strict execution.
The committee on welfare of Other Backward Classes (2014-15) for the Health Ministry said the Health Ministry should issue regular instructions to all central medical colleges to carry out awareness programmes for the courses where the target of 27 per cent reservation of OBC is yet to be achieved.
"The Health Ministry should take up periodical reviews to ensure strict implementation of the government orders pertaining to reservation for OBC students in the central medical institutions.

"The Health ministry should issue regular instructions to all the central medical colleges to carry out awareness programmes for the courses where the target of 27 per cent reservation for OBCs is yet to be achieved," the committee chaired by Rajen Gohain said in the report titled "review of reservation policy for OBCs implemented in medical institutions."
The committee also said that the Health Ministry should explore the possibility and feasibility of providing free coaching and other incentives to OBC students like awarding scholarships in various courses to attract OBC students in medical institutions.
The committee observed that as per data of the Health Ministry, the percentage of reservations given to OBC students in some of the courses in almost all medical institutes has been "consistently" much below than the stipulated requirement of 27 per cent.

"In AIIMS, New Delhi, percentage of reservation to OBC students in MSc, M.Biotechnology and MSc Nursing was still below the requisite 27 per cent," the committee said.
Expressing their strong "displeasure" over non-fulfilment of 27 per cent reservation quota of OBC students, the committee felt that the institutes did not make concerted efforts to attract OBC students in these courses.
The committee also recommended that the Health Ministry should make all out efforts to fill up all the backlog vacancies in the faculty posts particularly in the grade of assistant professor or lecturer in Nursing without further delay so that true representation of OBCs may be ensured in the faculty posts of AIIMS, New Delhi.