Maharashtra Assembly clears bill on Maratha quota in post-graduate medical and dental courses

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MUMBAI: The Maharashtra Legislative Assembly Thursday passed a bill to provide reservation to Maratha students in post-graduate (PG) medical and dental admissions. The assembly unanimously cleared the amendment to Socially and Educationally Backward Classes (SEBC) Act 2018. 

The Maharashtra government also said that the existing number of MBBS seats will be increased by 2000 from the next year to accommodate more students, reported news agency PTI.

State Governor C Vidyasagar Rao had signed an ordinance in May to provide quota under the Socially and Economically Backward Class (SEBC) Reservation Act, 2018 to candidates seeking admission to PG medical courses.

The Maharashtra Legislature on November 29, 2018, had passed the Maratha quota bill promising 16% reservation to the members of the Maratha community in government jobs and the education sector. The state witnessed widespread protests over the Maratha quota issue in 2018.

Last month, the Nagpur bench of the Bombay High Court said that the 16 per cent SEBC reservation will not be applicable for the PG medical courses this year. The high court had contended that the government's decision to introduce the quota was unconstitutional. The Supreme Court had also upheld the high court order, cancelling the 16 per cent SEBC quota for PG medical seats in Maharashtra.