In good news for Open category Maharashtra students, who fail to get admission in medical colleges for MBBS or post-graduation due to the reservations introduced under the Socially and Economically Backward Category (SEBC), the state government will be reimbursing the difference in fees. Even the number of seats meant for the general category students in degree and post-graduate medical courses would be increased.
According to Indian Express, the decision was announced at a meeting held in Mumbai, where Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis also said that the decrease in medical seats in the open category due to reservation for various social communities in the state will be compensated by increasing the number of seats. A delegation under the banner of ‘Save Merit, Save Nation’ had called upon Fadnavis to express disappointment over the shrinking seats for general students in medical colleges.
Fadanvis said those eligible open category students, who could not secure admission due to the reservation, should seek admissions in private colleges and the government will reimburse their current year's tuition fees. A system would be put in place to understand and solve the problems faced by students from the open category, the statement quoted him as saying.
The state has enforced the 12 percent reservation in education and 13 percent in jobs to Maratha community under the SEBC category. With this, the total reservations in the state have gone up from the existing 52 percent to 64 percent in education.
