HC refuses to hear PIL against NRI quota in med colleges

HC refuses to hear PIL against NRI quota in med colleges

TIMES NEWS NETWORK  25.11.2024 

Bhopal/Jabalpur : A division bench of MP high court, which had a special sitting on Sunday to hear a public interest litigation over NRI quota in private medical colleges of the state, refused to hear the issue as a PIL. Following this, the petitioner sought to withdraw the PIL, which the court allowed with a liberty to the petitioner to use alternative legal remedies available to him. 

Advocate Vishal Baghel in his PIL said that NEET had prepared a merit list for the NRIs. In the private medical colleges of the state, 15% quota is given to NRIs. There are 22 branches of studies in a medical college, but the state govt has distributed the NRI quota among 8 branches only, which are the most-sought-after branches. He contended that distributing seats of NRI quota among 8 branches rather than all the 22 branches available in medical colleges affects the prospects of meritorious candidates since seats available for them are reduced. 

The state govt's decision to keep NRI quota only in 8 branches rather than all the 22 branches is illegal since it's depriving general candidates of their chance to get admission in their desired branch. The bench headed by the chief justice Suresh Kumar Kait and also comprising Justice Vishal Dhagat while referring to supreme court order said that since the issue concerns admission in a professional course, therefore i can't be heard in the form of PIL. Interests of the petitioner are not being affected in the matter in any manner. Therefore, the issue can't be raised in the form of a PIL. Following this, the petitioner sought to withdraw the petition, which the judges allowed while giving him liberty to use other legal remedies available to him.