10,000 OBC med seats went to general students in 3 yrs: Plaint;

10,000 OBC med seats went to general students in 3 yrs: Plaint;

BC Commission Gives Health Min 15 Days To Reply

Subodh.Ghildiyal@timesgroup.com

New Delhi:27.05.2020

In what may stoke a major controversy about denial of OBC quota in premier medicine courses, the National Commission for Backward Classes has issued a notice to the health ministry on complaints that 27% Mandal reservation was not being implemented in a key category of seats under the National Eligibility cum Entrance Test.

It’s been alleged that since 2017, under NEET, OBCs were not being provided the mandatory 27% reservation in ‘all-India quota’ seats which are pooled from state colleges. Instead, those seats were being transferred to the general category, and it has cost OBCs around 10,000 seats in three years.

The NCBC has asked the health ministry to provide facts about the complaint, filed by All India Federation of OBC Employees Welfare Association, in 15 days. NCBC sources said the issues raised appeared prima facie genuine. “Our probe may result in a major outcome,” an official said.

NEET is the national examination for admission to UG and PG courses in medicine and dental sciences. Under it, 85% seats (state quota) are reserved for state domicile candidates for seats falling in those states. The remaining 15% seats (all-India quota) are pooled from state and central institutes and are open to candidates from across states.

‘OBCs are not given any reservation on these seats’

According to the complaint, the government argues that Mandal reservation is applied only to seats pooled from central institutions, and not from state colleges, as per the Central Educational Institutions Reservations Act.

However, the complaint contends that if the seats pooled from state-run colleges for ‘all-India quota’ had remained in the ‘state quota’, the OBCs would have availed of reservation.

“In 2020, Tamil Nadu has 1,758 seats under PG courses. Out of this, 879 seats are pooled for all-India quota in which OBCs are not getting any reservation. Had the seats remained in TN, 440 seats would have gone to OBC students. The same applies to all other states,” the complaint said.

It said that out of 9,550 seats under all-India quota for 2020, nearly 8,800 seats were pooled from state colleges.

“The OBCs are not being given any reservation on these seats and they are being transferred to the general category. It is appalling that the EWS category (upper castes) is eligible to have 653 seats in PG courses under all-India quota this year,” the complaint added.

In 2020, TN had 1,758 PG seats. Of this, 879 seats are pooled for all-India quota. Had the seats remained in TN, 440 seats would have gone to OBC students

— EXCERPT FROM COMPLAINT FILED BY ALL INDIA FEDERATION OF OBC EMPLOYEES ASSOCIATION The complaint contends that if the seats pooled from state-run colleges for ‘all-India quota’ had remained in the ‘state quota’, the OBCs would have availed of reservation