Selective Allocation of NRI Quota in PG Medical Courses- State Files response

Jabalpur: The Madhya Pradesh High Court has filed its reply to the plea challenging the selective allocation of the NRI quota reservation in medical admission to the private medical colleges of the State.

While considering the plea, the HC bench comprising Justices Sanjeev Sachdeva and Vinay Saraf asked for the distribution of copies of the State's reply to all the parties in the case. The matter has been listed for further hearing on December 18, 2024.

Medical Dialogues had earlier reported that filing the plea before the High Court, a Bhopal-based doctor alleged that 15% of the seats in the private medical colleges of the State, which are reserved for the NRIs, are being allocated only to eight popular courses and not being evenly distributed.

The petitioner alleged that such selective allocation is against the rights of non-NRI students. Dr. Ojas Yadav, the petitioner, submitted before the Court that there are 22 branches in medical colleges. However, NRI quotas are allocated only to eight branches, which are high in demand, claimed the petitioner.

Also Read: Selective allocation of NRI Quota for PG medical courses- HC Issues Notice

Earlier, the petitioner's advocate Alok Bagrecha had argued that the excessive allocation of NRI Quota seats would affect the rights of the meritorious students due to the decrease in the number of available seats. The petitioner's counsel pointed out that while there are altogether 545 seats available in these eight branches, 152 seats are allocated under the NRI quota.

Further, it was pointed out before the Court that instead of the stipulated 15% for the NRI quota, 40-50% of the seats have been reserved in various branches. It was also claimed that the choice-filling was being conducted without giving any time to the claims and objections as per the admission rules.

Therefore, the counsel argued that the NRI quota seats should have been distributed across all branches and further contended that the process adopted by the State Government was completely illegal.

As per the latest media report by the Times of India, the Madhya Pradesh High Court on Monday filed its response to the plea and the HC bench, while hearing the plea, asked for the distribution of copies of the reply to all the parties in the case and listed the matter for further hearing on December 18, 2024.

The issue was previously raised before the HC bench as a Public Interest Litigation. However, during the special sitting on the matter, the Division Bench of the HC had refused to hear the matter as a PIL. 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.

Also Read: PIL Challenges NRI Quota in Medical Colleges, HC Denies Hearing