– Ronita Torcato

The medical fraternity has welcomed the Maharashtra government’s decision to rescind implementation of a 10 percent quota for economically weaker sections in private medical colleges.The government’s decision follows student protests regarding the reduction in open category seats without a corresponding increase in the intake of seats.

When the Maharashtra Common Entrance Test (CET) Cell recently announced the commencement of admissions for medical undergraduate (UG) courses, the information brochure cited 10 percent EWS reservation in private medical colleges. Unsurprisingly, the move sparked concern among medicos and students.

Dr Thomas Kuruvila, physician attached to a reputed hospital, said he doesn’t “agree with the concept of EWS from the forward communities being given any reservations. I don’t think that was the intention of the founding fathers when they wrote the Constitution. Moreover, the ceiling of Rs. 8 lakh per annum is far too high to say that a person is economically weak. Therefore, reserving 10 percent seats in medical colleges is not correct.”

The state Medical Education Department announced the reversal clarifying that the quota will be applicable for MBBS ( Bachelor of medicine and bachelor of surgery ) Bachelor of dental surgery (BDS), Bachelor of ayurveda, medicine and surgery (BAMS), Bachelor of homeopathy medicine and surgery (BHMS) and Bachelor of Unani Medicine and Surgery (BUMS) courses only if the Central government and respective councils increase existing seats.

“For courses other than MBBS/BDS/BAMS/BHMS and BUMS , the 10 percent EWS reservation will be applicable on the seats available,” the medical education department stated.

This is the second instance the Maharashtra government has withdrawn its decision pertaining to education in a month. On June 29, the government withdrew two GRs (resolutions) under the three-language formula following massive protests by Hindutva based political parties,Shiv Sena (UBT) and Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS ) against the “imposition” of the Hindi language on primary school students.

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