MBBS: Supreme Court directs Chandigarh to implement 3 percent OBC quota
New Delhi: The Supreme Court bench has directed the Chandigarh Administration to provide 3% OBC reservation in academic seats, including for MBBS admissions, for the academic year 2025-2026.
This direction was issued by the top court bench after the Central Government informed the Court that the enactment to provide OBC reservation in the Union Territory of Chandigarh would be notified within a week.
After the Punjab and Haryana High Court refused to cancel the admission brochure of the Government Medical College, Chandigarh for not providing OBC reservations in MBBS admissions, a special leave petition was filed against the HC order before the top court bench comprising Chief Justice of India (CJI) BR Gavai, Justice K Vinod Chandran, and Justice NV Anjaria.
As per the latest media report by Live Law, during the hearing of the matter, the counsel for the Central Government, Additional Solicitor General Aishwarya Bhati informed the top court bench that a 3% reservation will initially be provided for OBC students in the first year of the academic year 2025-2026 and this will later be increased in a "phased manner" till it reaches 27% in the sixth year.
Taking note of this submission, the Apex Court ordered, "We direct the Administrator of the Union Territory of Chandigarh to provide 3% reservation for the academic year 2025-26, which will be increased in a phased manner till it reaches 27%."
At this outset, the bench also clarified that this reservation policy will apply for the counselling process from the academic year 2025-2026 onwards. "We clarify that reservation will be applicable where the admission process has not yet started, i.e. counselling has not yet started. Where the admission process is completed, reservation will be provided from the academic year 2026-27," clarified the Supreme Court bench.
Earlier, while considering the matter, the bench on July 22 had warned the Chandigarh administration of dire consequences if it failed to implement the 27% quota for Other Backward Classes (OBCs) in educational institutions within a week.
When ASG Bhati highlighted on July 22 that the Central Government had already approved the proposal for providing 27% reservation to OBC students, the Apex Court bench had observed, "When the Union of India has approved the policy, we see no reason why the Chandigarh Administration should not implement it immediately. We give it one week's time from today to comply with the Central government's recommendations and make necessary amendments in the rules."
"Needless to say, this decision will result in provision of such reservation in the prospectus for admission to all courses falling under the jurisdiction of the Chandigarh Administration," the bench had ordered on July 22.
The top court bench has decided to hear the compliance case next week.
