Settle OBC, EWS quota issue in med edu: PM to ministries

PRIORITY AREA

Settle OBC, EWS quota issue in med edu: PM to ministries

Manash.Gohain@timesgroup.com

New Delhi: 28.7.2021

In a significant move with political bearings, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday reviewed the issue of OBC and EWS reservation in all-India quota (AIQ) of medical education and directed the ministries concerned to resolve the issue on priority.

According to government sources, the demand for the quota was discussed in the meeting attended by education minister Dharmendra Pradhan, health minister Mansukh Mandavia and relevant secretaries as well as other officials.

The strong push from the Prime Minister needs to be seen in the context of recent developments like the reshuffle of the Union council of ministers where the government and BJP highlighted the enhanced representation of OBCs. It also comes at a time when the Centre has moved to undo the Supreme Court’s ruling that state lists of OBCs will be drawn up by the central government.

The clear pro-OBC push, seen in the light of forthcoming elections in states like UP where Mandal politics has dominated till recently, and in the context of the next national elections, reveals the political priorities of BJ P. Looking to consolidate the OBC support it has received, BJP would like to seriously undermine its castebased rivals. The EWS reference is a balancing act, something a pan-national party would consider, to avoid alienating the forwards.

OBC reservation in AIQ of medical education has been a long standing demand of medical aspirants.

The AIQ seats in medicine were created on the directions of the Supreme Court in 1984. All states were required to surrender 15% undergraduate and 50% postgraduate medical and dental seats in state-run colleges to a “central pool” with the rest going to a “state pool”.

So far for admission, SC and ST have reservations in this quota, but there is no reservation for OBCs.