SC okays NEET-PG counselling with existing OBC-EWS reservation, gets mixed reactions
The Supreme Court has given a go-ahead for the NEET-PG counselling for the academic year 2021-22 while passing an interim order. The apex court has approved the 27% OBC reservation as well as the validity of the current 10% EWS quota.
• #SupremeCourt allows #NEETPG2021Counselling based on existing EWS/OBC reservation• Reservation for admission to medical entrance courses for 2021-2022: OBC — 27%; EWS — 10%• For EWS: Rs 8 lakh annual income upheld• Detailed hearing on EWS in March 2022.
— DailyO (@DailyO_) January 7, 2022
While the Supreme Court has upheld the 27% Other Backward Castes (OBC) reservation and settled the matter, the apex court will continue hearing on the Economically Weaker Section (EWS) criteria selection. Further hearing has been scheduled for March 2022.
WHAT IS THE CASE ABOUT?
The case pertains to a few petitions challenging the Central government order to implement OBC and EWS reservation, which took effect in July 2021. Earlier, there was no OBC reservation in the All India Quota (AIQ) scheme introduced in 1986. This meant that students belonging to OBC categories couldn’t avail the reservation benefits if they migrated to other states.
With the Central government’s 27% reservation for OBCs (non-creamy layer) in the AIQ scheme, they could avail the benefits. The government also implemented the EWS quota at the same time, which was brought into effect in 2019 through a constitutional amendment.
Currently, the EWS reservation criterion has a Rs 8 lakh annual income cap. The validity of this criterion will be discussed further in the Supreme Court in March 2022.
HOW IS THE DOCTORS’ PROTEST RELATED TO THIS CASE?
Several doctors' associations have been protesting against the delay in NEET-PG academic counselling for months. The delay partly happened due to the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic and partly due to the pending cases in the Supreme Court.
The Supreme Court’s latest decision ensures that no academic year of the NEET aspirants is wasted and also that the current junior resident doctors are not overburdened with work at hospitals. Following the announcement of the Supreme Court, resident doctors’ associations said that they welcomed the decision.
#FORDA welcomes the judgement of Hon’ble #SupremeCourt of India pronounced today in the matter concerning #NEETPGCounselling2021 @PMOIndia @MoHFW_INDIA @MSJEGOI @ANI @LiveLawIndia @barandbench @MirrorNow @IndiaAheadNews @IndiaToday pic.twitter.com/eTefwdQ7Lm
— FORDA INDIA (@FordaIndia) January 7, 2022
@FordaIndia @RDA_UP pic.twitter.com/RKdh3K21o5
— RDA LLRM OFFICIAL (@LlrmRda) January 7, 2022
WHAT ARE NETIZENS SAYING?
While the announcement has come as a relief for protesting doctors and their associations, some people have also voiced their disappointment over the Supreme Court order.
I am not sure if I wanna say you fought so well to Dr Yash Dr Neil and team , or just wanna file another PIL . So disheartening , I dont know where we went wrong . #Reservationfreeneetpg64.5% reservation in neet pg
— Gitanshi Arora (@dr_Gtnshi) January 7, 2022
What do you need to become a doctor in INDIA . 1. Hard work ?2. Good skills ?3. OBC/SC/ST caste certificate ✅4. Minimum 3 crores ( UG & PG) ✅P.S : Total reservation in NEET PG is now 60 percent#NEETPG #neetpg2021counselling #NeetPGcounselling2021 #NEET
— Aniruddh VJ (@VjAniruddh) January 7, 2022
Netizens argued that with nearly a total of 64.5% reservation in NEET-PG exams, those belonging to none of the reserved categories would have to face a tough time securing seats.
Debate on any form of reservation in India has been an ongoing tussle. One side argues that reservations act as barriers for non-reserved categories of people and disregards merit, while the other side argues that reservations are important for people belonging to historically discriminated backgrounds.