Maharashtra PG Medical aspirants oppose delayed implementation of In-service Reservation, Approach HC for relief

Mumbai: Upset with the sudden implementation of 20 per cent In-service reservation in Postgraduate Medical admission in Maharashtra, the aspirants have now approached the Bombay High Court seeking relief.

The PG medical aspirants who have already registered for the 2022-2023 academic year, are concerned over the fact that this delayed implementation of In-service quota after the commencement of the admission process might end up affecting their chances of securing admission. Therefore, a group of PG medical aspirants have now filed a petition before the Bombay HC on Thursday.

The plea not only demands that the In-service reservation gets implemented from the next academic year, but it also seeks for a reduction in the reservation benefit for the PG medical aspirants.

This comes after the announcement came from the Maharashtra Government regarding the implementation of 20 per cent In-service quota in PG Medical Admission.

Medical Dialogues had earlier reported that the Maha Government on Monday announced a 20 per cent quota for in-service doctors practising in the rural and tribal areas of the State. As per the Government Order, the in-service doctors serving the state for two years shall be able to avail the reservation benefits while taking admission to PG medical courses. Issuing a Government Resolution in this regard, the Maha Government clarified, "From the academic year 2022-23, government approval is being given to reserve 20% seats for in-service candidates for admissions to PG medical and diploma courses in government and civic-run medical colleges in the state."

However the GR has also made it clear that the in-service candidates would not be awarded any extra marks for their work, and admissions would be conducted solely on the basis of their NEET-PG marks.

While this move will ensure that the in-service doctors will get edge in PG medical admissions, the Indian Medical Association (IMA), Maharashtra had sought a stay on implementation of the in-service reservation for this academic year.

Also Read: Maharashtra Announces 20 percent In-Service Reservation for PG Medical Admissions, IMA seeks Stay

Unhappy with this "untimely and unanticipated" implementation of In-service reservation in PG medical admissions, IMA wrote to the State Education Minister and pointed out, "Government resolution for in service quota has been released on a short notice without prior intimation after the registration for all India counselling , Maharashtra State counselling and other open states has been declared over Qualified candidates who had an assurance of getting a government seat and have only paid deposit for the same are now in dilemma and panic due to the implementation of in service as it has led to uncertainty of their government seat and they cannot go back and revert the deposit for semi private and deemed colleges or edit the form for the same."

"As the round of all India quota is over, many students did not opt for DNB seats as well because they had assurance of getting a good seat through Maharashtra counseling. This untimely implementation and sudden introduction of in service has created a lot of uncertainty and anxiety in many such candidates," it had further mentioned.

Urging the Government to implement this new rule from the next academic year, the IMA letter had added, "The counselling was delayed by 5 months and still there was no proper intimation of a 20 percentage reservation for in service candidates. If candidates would have been well informed they would have prepared their choice filling accordingly and participation in other states. This has lead to many meritorious candidates losing out on their seats because of the unfair and sudden policy implementation."

Although the students do not oppose the quota, they are against its sudden implementation after the commencement of the admission process. In this regard, a MBBS doctor from a private medical college told the Times of India, "We knew in-service quota had to be given, but why was the implementation delayed. The deadline to register for admissions in other states is already over. Many of us did not apply outside Maharashtra, assuming that we would get a seat here based on our merit in NEET-PG. Now, this last-minute resolution has put all of us in a crisis. We have lost the chance to apply in other states. There is no other option but to move court."

As per the latest media report by Hindustan Times, the students have now filed a plea before the Bombay High Court on Thursday. Following this, on Friday morning, the counsels for the students urged the HC bench for considering the matter at the earliest. Speaking about this, a student told the daily, "The first seat allocation list is scheduled to be released in the first week of October, and we are hoping the HC hears our case before that so the implementation of the 20% quota is stalled."

Upset with the implementation of In-service reservation, a PG medical aspirant told HT, "Introduction of new quotas in medical admissions is becoming a norm and this is eventually affecting our chances of admission. Any changes to the admissions criteria should be implemented before the release of the admissions brochure, which is already released for the 2022-23 academic year."

In the plea, the students have also demanded that the reservation benefit allowed for the PG medical aspirants get reduced. Referring to this, the student said, "As per the provisional list of registered candidates for the state admissions process this year, fewer than 70 in-service medical officers have registered while the government has kept aside 250 seats for them. This is unfair to students from the general/open category."

Also Read: TN Health issues notice on Incentive-marks for in-service candidates who have applied for PG medical admissions under Govt Quota, Details