Mumbai: In an attempt to accommodate more students, the state government has proposed to increase seats for medical Undergraduate (UG) and Postgraduate (PG) courses. Chief minister of Maharashtra Devendra Fadnavis has proposed to increase 1,740 seats for UG and 813 for PG courses.
The state aims to increase seats following the 16 per cent quota reservation for Socially and Educationally Backward (SEBC) and 10 per cent for Economically Weak Sections (EWS). This quota reservation was introduced this year in order to provide an opportunity for Maratha students to seek admissions under the SEBC category.
The additional seats will give a chance to large number of students seeking admissions both under the open category and quota reservation, according to the state. A senior officer of the state education department, said, “The additional seats will help to ensure the number of seats available for the open category remain the same. The number of students opting for medical courses is increasing in the state so we need more seats.”
On the other end, students of the open category have been opposing the reservation policy. Naina Das, a student, said, “We have been protesting over the reservation policy as it snatches away seats from the open category and decreases our scope for admissions.” While Shivani Kamadh, a student, supporting reservation policy, said, “We have already secured admissions under the SEBC category and this should continue as it helps us.” Currently, the matter is being heard in the Nagpur bench of the Bombay High Court (HC) where students of open category have challenged the ordinance of the state government over reservation policy.
Also, the Supreme Court (SC) has refused a petition filed by medical students to modify its June 4 order of changing preferences for PG admissions. The deadline for the admission process has been extended from May 31 till June 17.
-Ronald Rodrigues
