Centre announces 27% reservation for OBCs, 10% quota for EWS in medical seats

This decision would benefit nearly 1,500 OBC students in MBBS and 2,500 OBC students in postgraduation and also around 550 EWS students in MBBS and around 1,000 EWS students in postgraduation, the Health Ministry said in a statement.

New Delhi: The central government on Thursday announced 27 per cent quota for the Other Backward Casts (OBCs) and 10 per cent reservation for the Economically Weaker Section (EWS) in the All-India Quota scheme for undergraduate and postgraduate medical and dental courses from the current academic year, 2021-22.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi, at a meeting held on Monday, had directed the Union Ministries concerned to facilitate an effective solution to this long-pending issue, a statement issued by the Health Ministry said.

"This decision would benefit nearly 1,500 OBC students in MBBS and 2,500 OBC students in postgraduation and also around 550 EWS students in MBBS and around 1,000 EWS students in postgraduation," it said.

"The present government is committed to providing due reservation both to the backward category as well as the EWS category. The Union government has now taken a historic decision to provide for 27 per cent reservation for OBCs and 10 per cent reservation for EWS in the AIQ scheme," the ministry stated.

OBC students from across the country shall now be able to take the benefit of this reservation in the AIQ scheme to compete for seats in any state. Being a central scheme, the Central List of OBCs shall be used for this reservation. 

Earlier on Wednesday, a delegation of OBC MPs led by Union Minister Bhupender Yadav had met Prime Minister Narendra Modi demanding proper implementation of reservation for OBC and EWS candidates in the all India quota in NEET UG and PG.

The MPs demanded proper implementation of the system of reservation fixed for OBC and EWS candidates for MBBS and MD-MS courses in the all India quota fixed under NEET.

Yadav said that after a long time, since independence, a government is functioning under the leadership of Prime Minister Modi, which has shown commitment towards the upliftment of socially and educationally backward, Dalit, Scheduled Tribes and economically weaker sections.

He said under the leadership of PM Modi, the government has also worked towards giving constitutional status to the OBC Commission that was pending for decades.

By deciding to give 10 per cent reservation in government jobs and educational institutions to the economically weaker sections (EWS), the Modi government has ensured the participation of all sections of society in the social, educational and economic development, Yadav said.

It has worked to ensure the participation of every section of society in educational and economic development.

The MPs told the Prime Minister that as per the provisions of NEET, out of the total number of seats in the state government colleges and private medical and dental colleges, it is necessary to keep vacant 15 per cent seats for undergraduate (MBBS) courses and 50 per cent for post graduate (MD-MS) courses in the all India quota.

It will help candidates from any part of the country can take advantage of it according to the provisions of reservation provided by the constitutional system, he said.