PIL Challenges NRI Quota in Medical Colleges, HC Denies Hearing

Bhopal: Despite having a special sitting on Sunday to consider a public interest litigation over NRI quota in private medical colleges, a Division bench of the Madhya Pradesh High Court on Sunday refused to hear the matter as a PIL, TOI has reported.

After this, the petitioner sought to withdraw the PIL and the HC bench accepted this prayer. It also granted liberty to the petitioner to use alternative legal remedies available to him.

Filing the plea, Advocate Vishal Baghel pointed out that based on the score secured in the National Eligibility-Entrance Test (NEET), a merit list is prepared for the NRIs. 15% NRI quota is granted to the NRIs in the private medical colleges of the State.

Also Read: MBBS Admissions: SC upholds HC order quashing Widened Definition of NRI Quota

As per the latest media report by the Times of India, the petitioner further pointed out that even though there are 22 branches of studies in a medical college, but the State has distributed the NRI quota among 8 branches only, which are the most-sought-after branches.

Referring to this, he contended that distributing the NRI quota mong 8 branches rather than all the 22 branches available in the medical colleges affects the prospects of meritorious candidates since the seats available for them get reduced.

It was contended by the petitioner that the State Government's decision to keep the NRI quota only in 8 branches, instead of 22 branches, was illegal as it was depriving general candidates of their chance to get admitted to their desired branch.

However, while considering the matter, the Division bench of the High Court comprising Chief Justice Suresh Kumar Lalit and Justice Vishal Dhagat referred to the Supreme Court order and said that since the issue concerned admission in a professional course, it could not be heard in the form of a public interest litigation.

Further, the bench observed that the interests of the petitioner were not being affected in the matter in any manner and clarified that the issue could not be raised as a PIL.

After this, the petitioner sought permission from the court to withdraw the petition. Accordingly, the Judges allowed this and granted liberty to the petitioner to use other legal remedies available to him.

Also Read: Chhattisgarh HC Quashes State's NRI Quota Rule for MBBS Admissions