General Category Students Protest Maharashtra Govt’s Decision To Issue Ordinance On Maratha Quota For PG Medical Seats

In response to the Maharashtra government on Friday (17 May) agreeing to promulgate an ordinance to uphold admissions granted to students under the Maratha quota to some 253 postgraduate dental and medical courses in the state, students from the general category carried out a protest at Carter’s Road in Mumbai, reports India Today.

The said students had been sitting on a dharna since 13 days in opposition to the quota. Simultaneously, Maratha students, who have also been on a protest demanding the issuance of the ordinance, have also refused to end their demonstration till the time the ordinance is actually issued.

In total, some 2,000 seats will be affected by the decision; 253 Maratha students had already been given admissions under the quota and they contend that an entire would be wasted for them if the admissions are not re-affirmed by an ordinance.

It is unclear whether an ordinance will stand the test of judicial scrutiny as the previous amendment which had implemented a 16 per cent quota for Maratha students had been declared void by an order of the Nagpur bench of the Bombay High Court.