As the Maharashtra Government on Tuesday scrapped the 70:30 region-wise formula for admission in medical courses in the state, Minister for Social Justice Dhananjay Munde thanked those who contributed in the "fight against injustice against students from Marathwada and Vidarbha". The 70:30 region-wise formula gave reservation for 70 per cent locals in medical colleges and 30 per cent from rest of the state.
Taking to Twitter, the Parli MLA said, "The state government has cancelled the 70:30 formula in the medical admission process. I am happy that the fight against injustice against students from Marathwada and Vidarbha has been successful."
Munde thanked Maharastra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray, Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar, Minister for Medical Education Amit Deshmukh and all those who contributed to the fight.
The announcement was made in the Assembly by Medical Education Minister Amit Deshmukh. He said that the admissions would now be based on the results of students who have appeared for the National Eligibility cum Entrance Test (NEET).
"Instead of the 70:30 quota, it would be 'one Maharashtra, one merit'," Deshmukh said.
Students and parents in the state had since long been demanding the scrapping of the contentious 70:30 formula for admissions in medical courses.
The number of medical colleges in the state's Marathwada and Vidarbha regions are less compared to other areas. Hence, students from these regions suffered during admissions in medical colleges.
(With inputs from Sanjay Jog and PTI)
