Sonia Gandhi Writes to PM Modi Over 'Denial of OBC Reservations' For Seats Filled Through NEET
"Denial of reservation for OBCs in state medical institutions in All India Quota, being administered by Government of India, violates the very objective of the 93rd Constitutional Amendment and is a barrier to access medical education for deserving students," Gandhi said in her letter to the Prime Minister.
New Delhi, July 3: Congress president Sonia Gandhi on Friday wrote to Prime Minister Narendra Modi seeking his intervention in the alleged denial of reservation for Other Backward Classes (OBC) candidates for admissions through the National Eligibility-Cum-Entrance Test (NEET). The exams form the basis for admission in medical undergraduate and postgraduate courses in India. JEE, NEET Preparation: National Test Abhyas App to Have Mock Tests in Hindi Too For Aspirants.
"Denial of reservation for OBCs in state medical institutions in All India Quota, being administered by Government of India, violates the very objective of the 93rd Constitutional Amendment and is a barrier to access medical education for deserving students," Gandhi said in her letter.
The 93rd Constitutional Amendment mandates affirmative action including reservation in educational institutions to improve the socio-economic conditions of the OBCs - who form 52 percent of India's population. The Mandal Commission report, implemented in 1990, mandates 27 percent reservation for the communities falling under OBC category.
See Full Letter Written by Sonia Gandhi to PM Modi
The quota row involving the NEET was sparked after the the All India Federation of Other Backward Classes Employees’ Welfare Association wrote to the National Commission of Backward Classes on May 11, claiming that the OBC students lost 11,000 seats since 2017 due to the non-implementation of reservation policy.
The Congress unit of Tamil Nadu, followed by the Communist Party of India (Marxist) moved the Supreme Court of India against the NEET's decision. Other petitioners also called for a stay on admissions, seeking judicial intervention for the implementation of OBC reservation under the All-India Quota.
(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Jul 03, 2020 03:59 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).