<p>The central government’s decision to reserve for Other Backward Class (OBC) candidates 27% of seats in the All-India Quota (AIQ) for admissions in medical colleges run by state governments is in compliance with judicial orders and in response to demands made by these governments. It fills a gap that has existed in the reservation scheme for many years and needed to be filled, and the government has done well to take the decision. It has also decided to set apart 10% of the AIQ seats to those from the Economically Weaker Sections (EWS). The AIQ was created under directions from the Supreme Court in 1986 to provide admissions to students from any state to study in other states without the need to fulfil domicile requirements. States had surrendered their seats in both undergraduate and post-graduate courses to the central pool for this. </p>.<p>The Supreme Court provided for 22.5% reservation for Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (SC, STs) in the AIQ in 2007. Later, the government introduced 27% OBC quota in central educational institutions but it was not done for AIQ seats. There was no reason for this and it should have been done as a natural extension of the reservation principle. Both central and state governments had implemented the policy in colleges and seats under their control. When the matter was raised in courts, the Medical Council of India (MCI) opposed the idea, but the Centre favoured it. Finally, it has been done following an order of the Madras High Court. Tamil Nadu’s ruling party, the DMK, moved court last year in the matter and the court ruled that OBC reservation should be implemented in AIQ within one year. As this was not done, the DMK moved a contempt petition, and the government acted before the court issued another order.</p>.<p><strong>Also read: <a href="https://www.deccanherald.com/national/centre-plans-obc-bill-route-to-end-parliament-logjam-1016250.html" target="_blank">Centre plans OBC Bill route to end Parliament logjam</a></strong></p>.<p>While the OBC quota is in accordance with the law there are bound to be doubts about the legal validity of the 10% reservation for the EWS. This takes the quota limit to 60%, beyond the 50% ceiling laid down by the Indra Sawhney judgement and reiterated by the Supreme Court many times. While it may be a balancing act, there may be a bigger political plan behind the OBC reservations as such. The Assembly elections in UP are approaching and the government would like to woo the OBCs, who are important in the electoral scheme there. About 1,500 OBC students in the MBBS course and 2,500 students in postgraduate courses are likely to benefit from the decision. The government has proposed to enhance the number of medical seats, but it should ensure that this can be done sustainably. Politically, the BJP has come a long way, from opposing Mandal politics to embracing it.</p>
<p>The central government’s decision to reserve for Other Backward Class (OBC) candidates 27% of seats in the All-India Quota (AIQ) for admissions in medical colleges run by state governments is in compliance with judicial orders and in response to demands made by these governments. It fills a gap that has existed in the reservation scheme for many years and needed to be filled, and the government has done well to take the decision. It has also decided to set apart 10% of the AIQ seats to those from the Economically Weaker Sections (EWS). The AIQ was created under directions from the Supreme Court in 1986 to provide admissions to students from any state to study in other states without the need to fulfil domicile requirements. States had surrendered their seats in both undergraduate and post-graduate courses to the central pool for this. </p>.<p>The Supreme Court provided for 22.5% reservation for Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (SC, STs) in the AIQ in 2007. Later, the government introduced 27% OBC quota in central educational institutions but it was not done for AIQ seats. There was no reason for this and it should have been done as a natural extension of the reservation principle. Both central and state governments had implemented the policy in colleges and seats under their control. When the matter was raised in courts, the Medical Council of India (MCI) opposed the idea, but the Centre favoured it. Finally, it has been done following an order of the Madras High Court. Tamil Nadu’s ruling party, the DMK, moved court last year in the matter and the court ruled that OBC reservation should be implemented in AIQ within one year. As this was not done, the DMK moved a contempt petition, and the government acted before the court issued another order.</p>.<p><strong>Also read: <a href="https://www.deccanherald.com/national/centre-plans-obc-bill-route-to-end-parliament-logjam-1016250.html" target="_blank">Centre plans OBC Bill route to end Parliament logjam</a></strong></p>.<p>While the OBC quota is in accordance with the law there are bound to be doubts about the legal validity of the 10% reservation for the EWS. This takes the quota limit to 60%, beyond the 50% ceiling laid down by the Indra Sawhney judgement and reiterated by the Supreme Court many times. While it may be a balancing act, there may be a bigger political plan behind the OBC reservations as such. The Assembly elections in UP are approaching and the government would like to woo the OBCs, who are important in the electoral scheme there. About 1,500 OBC students in the MBBS course and 2,500 students in postgraduate courses are likely to benefit from the decision. The government has proposed to enhance the number of medical seats, but it should ensure that this can be done sustainably. Politically, the BJP has come a long way, from opposing Mandal politics to embracing it.</p>
