Denial of OBC quota in NEET admissions violates 93rd Constitutional Amendment, Sonia says to PM

Tribune News Service
New Delhi, July 3

Congress president Sonia Gandhi wrote to Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday to raise concerns regarding lack of OBC reservations in NEET admissions in some medical colleges.

 “I would like to bring to your attention, denial of reservation for OBC candidates under All-India Quota being filled through National Eligibility cum Entrance Test (NEET), in State/UT Medical education institutions,” she wrote in her letter.

“Under the All India Quota, 15 per cent, 7.5 per cent and 10 per cent seats are reserved for SC, ST and Economically Weaker Section (EWS) candidates respectively, in both Central and State/UT Medical education institutions. However, reservation for OBC candidates under All India Quota is restricted to central Institutions. As per the data compiled by the All India Federation of Other Backward Classes, since 2017, OBC candidates lost over 11,000 seats, in All India Quota, due to non-implementation of OBC reservations in State/UT Medical education institutions,” Gandhi said in the letter to PM. 

Gandhi said the 93rd Constitutional Amendment envisages special provisions for the advancement of any socially and educationally backward classes of citizens or for the Scheduled Castes or the Scheduled Tribes in admission to educational institutions, including private educational institutions, whether aided or unaided by the State, other than the minority educational institutions and denial of reservations to OBCs in state medical institutions in All India Quota, being administered by GOI, violates the very objective of the Constitutional Amendment and is a barrier to access medical education for deserving OBC candidates.

“In the interest of equity and social justice, I strongly urge the Union Government to extend reservation for OBC candidates in All India Quota of medical and dental seats, even in the State/UT Medical education institutions,” she said in her letter.