Maha: Ten per cent EWS quota in medical courses challenged

A group of students has approached the Bombay High Court against ten per cent reservations in the general category for the economically weaker section (EWS) in medical courses in Maharashtra.

After the Centre announced the 10 per cent quota, the Maharashtra government decided to implement it.

The Constitution (124th Amendment) Bill on providing 10 per cent reservation in jobs and education to the general category poor was passed by Parliament on January 9.

In March, the state government came out with a resolution providing 10 per cent reservation in MBBS, MDS (Dental Science), MD and other health science courses.

The quota will be provided from the academic year 2019-20, in both private and government-aided colleges.

The petitioners contend that the decision is discriminatory as it takes the overall reservation to 76 per cent, leaving very few seats for remaining students in the open category.

Advocate Satish Talekar, their lawyer, said as per its own rules, the government is required to notify and publish a decision providing reservation in education at least six months before a new academic year begins.

It failed to do so in this case, he said.

A bench of Justices Ranjit More and Bharati Dangre is likely to take up the matter for further hearing Thursday.