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With Crucial Polls Ahead, Modi Bows to Demands for More Oppressed Classes to Train as Medics
With Crucial Polls Ahead, Modi Bows to Demands for More Oppressed Classes to Train as Medics
Sputnik International
Caste-based reservation, which was introduced in the British era and continued in independent India, remains one of the hottest political potatoes in the... 29.07.2021, Sputnik International
2021-07-29T13:51+0000
2021-07-29T13:51+0000
2022-11-03T19:30+0000
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In a landmark decision which has been pending for nearly two decades, the BJP-ruled Narendra Modi government has announced reservation, or an increase in quotas, in medical education courses for the oppressed both at undergraduate and postgraduate level across the country. The government on Thursday announced its decision to provide 27 percent reservation for students belonging to the "Other Backward Classes" (OBCs), and 10 percent reservation for the Economically Weaker Section in the All India Quota scheme for undergraduate and postgraduate medical courses starting this academic year. The All India Quota, under which the reservation has been extended, is applicable to 15 percent of the total available undergraduate (UG) seats and 50 percent of the total available post-graduate (PG) seats in government medical colleges across India.The other 85 percent of the UG seats and 50 percent of PG seats in these colleges are set aside for applicants whose acceptance is at the state government's discretion.The federal government's decision will now allow students from the OBCs and the Economically Weaker Section to compete for medical seats in any state.The decision, coming ahead of critical polls scheduled in eight states early next year, is also being seen as one fraught with political ramifications. Among the states preparing for elections are Uttar Pradesh and Punjab where OBCs constitute a large part of the population. Although the overall share of other backward classes in India as a whole is estimated at about 41 percent, in the state of Uttar Pradesh, the OBC population is nearly 90 million out of a total population of almost 200 million - so, roughly 45 percent."The government's decision is timed to coincide with the election scheduled shortly in states. The decision has been pending for nearly two decades. When the Central Education Institutions Act became effective in 2007, which provided uniform 27 percent reservation to OBCs, its benefit was not extended to the All India Quota seats of state medical and dental colleges. It was restricted only to the Central Institutions," Dr Hamir Singh, a social analyst and author in Punjab, told Sputnik. "The decision will no doubt benefit people from the OBCs as a large number of the population is economically weak and being able to afford a good medical college to study at is nearly as good a dream for the community. It will definitely make a good election slogan for BJP," he added.The decision to extend reservation will not affect the number of available seats to those competing in the general category, said the government, pointing to the increase in the number of seats made available in medical colleges across the country.During the past six years, MBBS (Bachelor of medicine and Bachelor of Surgery) seats in the country have increased by 56 percent, up from 54,348 seats in 2014 to 84,649 seats in 2020 and the number of PG seats have increased by 80 percent from 30,191seats in 2014 to 54,275 seats in 2020, said the government.
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With Crucial Polls Ahead, Modi Bows to Demands for More Oppressed Classes to Train as Medics
13:51 GMT 29.07.2021 (Updated: 19:30 GMT 03.11.2022) Caste-based reservation, which was introduced in the British era and continued in independent India, remains one of the hottest political potatoes in the country. The oppressed classes which include Dalits, tribes and Other Backward Classes (OBCs), have been demanding equitable representation in judiciary, education and employment for decades.
In a landmark decision which has been pending for nearly two decades, the BJP-ruled Narendra Modi government has announced
reservation, or an increase in quotas, in medical education courses for the oppressed both at undergraduate and postgraduate level across the country.
The government on Thursday announced its decision to provide 27 percent reservation for students belonging to the "Other Backward Classes" (OBCs), and 10 percent reservation for the Economically Weaker Section in the All India Quota scheme for undergraduate and postgraduate medical courses starting this academic year.
The All India Quota, under which the
reservation has been extended, is applicable to 15 percent of the total available undergraduate (UG) seats and 50 percent of the total available post-graduate (PG) seats in government medical colleges across India.
The other 85 percent of the UG seats and 50 percent of PG seats in these colleges are set aside for applicants whose acceptance is at the state government's discretion.
The federal government's decision will now allow students from the OBCs and the Economically Weaker Section to compete for medical seats in any state.
The decision, coming ahead of critical polls scheduled in eight states early next year, is also being seen as one fraught with political ramifications. Among the states preparing for elections are Uttar Pradesh and Punjab where OBCs constitute a large part of the population. Although the overall share of other
backward classes in India as a whole is estimated at about 41 percent, in the state of Uttar Pradesh, the OBC population is nearly 90 million out of a total population of almost 200 million - so, roughly 45 percent.
"The government's decision is timed to coincide with the election scheduled shortly in states. The decision has been pending for nearly two decades. When the Central Education Institutions Act became effective in 2007, which provided uniform 27 percent reservation to OBCs, its benefit was not extended to the All India Quota seats of state medical and dental colleges. It was restricted only to the Central Institutions," Dr Hamir Singh, a social analyst and author in Punjab, told Sputnik.
"The decision will no doubt benefit people from the OBCs as a large number of the population is economically weak and being able to afford a good medical college to study at is nearly as good a dream for the community. It will definitely make a good election slogan for BJP," he added.
The decision to extend reservation will not affect the number of available seats to those competing in the general category, said the government, pointing to the increase in the number of seats made available in medical colleges across the country.
During the past six years, MBBS (Bachelor of medicine and Bachelor of Surgery) seats in the country have increased by 56 percent, up from 54,348 seats in 2014 to 84,649 seats in 2020 and the number of PG seats have increased by 80 percent from 30,191seats in 2014 to 54,275 seats in 2020, said the government.
