Congress chief Sonia Gandhi writes to PM Narendra Modi over denial of quota to OBCs for admission through NEET

NEW DELHI: Interim Congress president Sonia Gandhi on Friday wrote a letter to Prime Minister Narendra Modi expressing her concerns over denial of quota to OBC students for admission through the National Eligibility-Cum-Entrance Test (NEET).

Seeking PM Modi’s intervention in thi regard, Sonia Gandhi wrote, “I would like to bring to your attention, denial of reservation for OBC candidates under All-India Quota being filled through National Eligibility cum Entrance Test (NEET), in State/UT Medical education institutions.” 

She continued by saying, “Under the All India Quota, 15 per cent, 7.5 per cent and 10 per cent seats are reserved for SC, ST and Economically Weaker Section (EWS) candidates respectively, in both Central and State/UT Medical education institutions. However, reservation for OBC candidates under All India Quota is restricted to central Institutions. As per the data compiled by the All India Federation of Other Backward Classes, since 2017, OBC candidates lost over 11,000 seats, in All India Quota, due to non-implementation of OBC reservations in State/UT Medical education institutions,” Gandhi said in her letter to PM. 

The veteran Congress leader stated that ‘’the 93rd Constitutional Amendment envisages special provisions for the advancement of any socially and educationally backward classes of citizens or for the Scheduled Castes or the Scheduled Tribes in admission to educational institutions, including private educational institutions, whether aided or unaided by the State, other than the minority educational institutions.’’

She claimed that the ‘’denial of reservations to OBCs in state medical institutions in All India Quota, being administered by GOI, violates the very objective of the Constitutional Amendment and is a barrier to access medical education for deserving OBC candidates.’’

“In the interest of equity and social justice, I strongly urge the Union Government to extend reservation for OBC candidates in All India Quota of medical and dental seats, even in the State/UT Medical education institutions,” she concluded in her letter.

The row over OBC quota in NEET exam erupted after 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 and 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.