Why should we pay for bill, MBBS aspirants ask Are Dhangars next in govt’s quota queue?
Parents say quota will leave only 275 seats for open category, term it violation of right to education
MUMBAI: The clearing of the bill to grant 16% reservation to Marathas in government-run education institutes and jobs has left medical and dental aspirants in the state unhappy, as they will now be left with only 15-18% of the seats in the open category.
More than two lakh students apply for medical seats in Maharashtra every year. Currently, 50% of undergraduate medical seats in government-run institutes are kept aside for students from the reserved categories (SC/ST/OBC/VJNT). From the remaining 50% for the open category, 14% seats go to PWD, defence and other quotas. “There is also a 3-5% special quota (depending on eligible candidates) for students from reserved categories who are eligible for an open quota seat based on their scores. Add another 16% Maratha quota and this will leave students in the open category with 15-18% seats only,” said another parent.
This means, of the 3,050 seats available in government-run MBBS institutes, students from the open category have less than 275 seats.
Terming it violation of the right to education of open category students, parents of medical aspirants plan to fight it in court.
“We have been seeking legal opinion on this matter. Specialised courses such as medical and engineering are sought-after not just in the state, but across the country. Introducing a new quota reduces the chances of a student in the open category to get a seat, which is unfair,” said Sudha Shenoy, a parent.
Officials from the state Directorate of Medical Education & Research (DMER) have requested parents to remain calm.
“The state government is yet to release an official resolution on this. They will definitely take into consideration the plight of open category students. We should wait for the official notification before taking any further steps,” said Dr Pravin Shingare, director, DMER. MUMBAI: After the Marathas, the state now plans to look at the demand of the Dhangar (shepherd) community to be included in the Scheduled Tribe (ST) category, so they can get reservation in government jobs and education.
Moments after the Upper house unanimously passed the Maratha reservation bill, questions were raised over quota for Dhangars. Chief minister Devendra Fadnavis said the recommendations for quota for the community will be sent to the Central government before the next general elections and the action taken report will be placed before the state legislature in the next session.
The state has commissioned Tata Institute of Social Sciences (TISS) to prepare a report on the community. Fadnavis said the government was “committed” to the cause and the existing quota of the tribals will not be affected. Speaking in the legislative Council, Fadnavis said: “We are currently studying the recommendations given by Tata Institute of Social Sciences (TISS). It is different than what we did in case of Maratha reservation. Here were made a law, there (for Dhangar reservation) we have to get under the SC and ST, which is with the Centre. We have to send our recommendations based on a study. I assure you, it will be done at the earliest.”
“We needed a report from an expert institute, so we approached TISS. They went to five states and prepared a comprehensive report. The report says the situation of Dhangars is worse than that of Scheduled Tribes, not in the entire state, but in some areas,” Fadnavis said, responding to a question by Congress legislator Sharad Ranpise.
Fadnavis said the recommendation of TISS will be valid according to the law as such institutes are “prestigious”. Responding to another query, the chief minister said the process to send the state’s recommendations to the Centre will be sent before the model code of conduct kicks in for the Lok Sabha poll. He also said that he doesn’t see the state Assembly polls and general elections happening simultaneously.