While it was earlier announced that seats in medical colleges would be increased proportionately before implementation of the quotas, no such decision has been taken yet. (Representational Image)Agitated over fewer seats that will be left in both government and private medical colleges after the implementation of 16 per cent Socially and Educationally Backward Classes (SEBC) and 10 per cent Economically Weaker Sections (EWS) quota from the coming academic year, medical students and their parents on Thursday alleged “reverse discrimination” by the government.
At present, medical colleges in the state do not have as many seats to provide full reservation to EWS and SEBC categories. Even if half of the quotas are implemented in private colleges — 8 per cent for SEBC and 5 per cent for EWS — only 5 per cent seats in PG and 20 per cent seats in UG will remain for open category students.
“For PG, in government colleges, the open category will only have four seats for the medical branch, two seats for pediatric, three seats for surgeon, one seat for orthopaedic, one seat for radiology and no seats for the skin branch,” said a parent of an aspirant at a press conference held in the city, attended by over 40 parents and many more students.
The aspirants and their parents demanded that the government should not stick to 50 per cent open category quota in education and jobs. “We have move the high court, seeking a stay on the implementation of the quotas. We hope that the court announces a stay,” said a parent.
While it was earlier announced that seats in medical colleges would be increased proportionately before implementation of the quotas, no such decision has been taken yet.
When contacted, former Directorate of Medical Education and Research (DMER) chief Dr Pravin Shingare said, “Even if seats are increased, 90 per cent of them would go to the reserved categories. After the implementation of SEBC and EWS quotas, the students who would apply in general quota would also reduce. So, it won’t hamper anything.”
