Medical, dental pupils to challenge ordinance signed by Governor

We’ll continue to protest, claim both Open category & Maratha quota students

The Governor of Maharashtra, Vidyasagar Rao, on Monday signed an ordinance for admissions under the reservation category for medical and dental courses. The decision was taken after students and parents of open category staged a protest outside the governor’s bungalow on Monday.

The ordinance stated students can seek admissions under the Socially and Educationally Backward Classes (SEBC) category for courses, which require the passing of the National Eligibility Entrance Test (NEET) or any other National Entrance Test.

The move comes after the continuous ongoing protests by the students who have refused to call off their stir. They have been opposing the 16 per cent reservation for Maratha quota, which has affected availability of seats for open category for the postgraduate (PG) medical and dental courses.

Now, students of the open category have decided to challenge this ordinance. Sudha Shenoy, representative of parents’ association, said, “The ordinance allows admissions under SEBC category. But the fact is only Maratha students have secured admissions under the SEBC. So, the ordinance is favouring the Maratha quota indirectly. We do not have a choice but to challenge the ordinance.”

On the other hand, students who have secured admissions under the Maratha quota, too, have been protesting at Azad Maidan. But, even these students do not support the ordinance.

Shivaji Bhosale, a student leader, said, “The ordinance has no provision for Maratha quota seats. It does not mention that our seats will be secured. We want our admissions in the colleges where we have already secured seats. We will continue our protest till our admissions are allotted back to us.”

The state is trying to push the admission deadline of May 25 declared by the

Supreme Court (SC). A senior officer of the state said, “We want to take a decision which benefits both students of the open category and those who have sought admissions under the Maratha quota. We need time to come up with a solution, which will neither affect admission process nor deprive any student of admission to medical and dental courses.”