- News>
- India
Supreme Court refers medical quota controversy to larger Bench
New Delhi, Mar 29: Four months after the Supreme Court indicated increase in all India quota in Post Graduation (PG) seats in medicine courses from 25 per cent to 50 per cent, the Union Government today approached it saying there is ambiguity in the direction given in November last year.
New Delhi, Mar 29: Four months after the Supreme Court indicated increase in all India quota in Post Graduation (PG) seats in medicine courses from 25 per cent to 50 per cent, the Union Government today approached it saying there is ambiguity in the direction given in November last year.
A Bench comprising Justice R C Lahoti, Justice Ashok Bhan and Justice Arun Kumar placed both - a petition alleging non-implementation of the Court directive on PG admissions conducted by All India Insitute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) and an application for clarification moved by the Centre - before a larger Bench for clarification of the controversy.
Earlier, 75 per cent of the PG seats were being filled by the institutions, while the rest were being filled through an all Indian common entrance test conducted by the AIIMS.
On November 4, 2003, the apex Court, while upholding the all India quota scheme, had said that "reservations by way of institutional preference should be confined to 50 per cent of the seats since it was in the public interest." However, at a time when today is the last date of counselling for the all India quota seats for PG admissions, the Government in its application said that there was no specific direction in the judgement directing raising of 25 per cent of the seats to be allocated to all India quota to be increased to 50 per cent of the total seats.
As AIIMS had already notified adverrisement for filling 25 per cent of PG seats before the judgement was pronounced, would it be proper for the Court to raise the quota to 50 per cent, the Centre asked.
Bureau Report
Earlier, 75 per cent of the PG seats were being filled by the institutions, while the rest were being filled through an all Indian common entrance test conducted by the AIIMS.
On November 4, 2003, the apex Court, while upholding the all India quota scheme, had said that "reservations by way of institutional preference should be confined to 50 per cent of the seats since it was in the public interest." However, at a time when today is the last date of counselling for the all India quota seats for PG admissions, the Government in its application said that there was no specific direction in the judgement directing raising of 25 per cent of the seats to be allocated to all India quota to be increased to 50 per cent of the total seats.
As AIIMS had already notified adverrisement for filling 25 per cent of PG seats before the judgement was pronounced, would it be proper for the Court to raise the quota to 50 per cent, the Centre asked.
Bureau Report