Sonia writes to PM seeking NEET quota for OBC students
NEW DELHI: Congress president Sonia Gandhi on Friday wrote to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, expressing concern over the denial of reservation to candidates from the Other Backward Classes (OBCS) in state-run medical colleges under the all-india quota.
The quota is filled through National Eligibility-cum-entrance Test (NEET) in medical education institutions in states and union territories (UTS). Under the all-india quota, 15%, 7.5% and 10% seats are reserved for SC, ST and economically weaker section candidates, respectively, in both central and state medical colleges. However, reservation for OBC candidates under the quota is restricted only to central institutions.
Gandhi quoted the data compiled by the All India Federation of Other Backward Classes Employees’ Welfare Association to claim that OBC candidates lost over 11,000 seats, in all-india Quota, as they were denied reservations in medical colleges in states and UTS. “Denial of reservations to OBCS in state medical institutions in all-india quota...is a barrier to access medical education for deserving OBC candidates,” she wrote in the letter.