Narendra Modi led central government is expected to offer reservations for students hailing from Other Backward Classes (OBC) and Economically Weaker Sections (EWS) categories in the medical colleges. The reservations will be offered at both undergraduates (MBBS, BDS), as well as postgraduate medical colleges. Under the All India Quota (AIQ), SC and ST candidates already have reservations, however, OBC and EWS categories do not have reserved seats.

After clearing NEET students have to appear for counselling sessions for admissions. According to the SC ruling, 15% of seats across India in UG and 50% of seats in PG level medical courses are allotted centrally while the rest are allotted at the state level. Under the existing framework, Scheduled Castes (SCs) and Scheduled Tribes (STs), have got reservation benefits under the AIQ — 15 per cent and 7.5 per cent, respectively in AIQ.

Now, the government is mulling to offer 27% reservation to OBCs and 10% to EWS under the AIQ, as per the reports. However, there is no official statement on this yet. Sources revealed that PM Narendra Modi held a meeting on Monday evening to discuss the long-pending demand of OBC reservations in the medical colleges. Sources reveal that the PM was in favour of not only offering reservations to OBC candidates but also to the EWS category.

Officials from the Ministry of Education and the Ministry of Health were also present at the meeting. Since the medical admissions are jointly administered by the two ministries, both have been asked to draft out a plan regarding the same which is expected to be released soon. According to media reports, most states are on board with the decision.

Meanwhile, there is also a demand for decentralising the medical entrance exam – NEET.  A panel set up by the Tamil Nadu government to analyse NEET claims that students enrolled in MBBS courses via NEET perform worse than those enrolled based on class 12 marks. The Committee has analysed the performance of students during the MBBS course pre-NEET and post NEET. They also found that after the implementation of NEET, students getting admission to medical colleges are primarily from urban, affluent, educated families.

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