Maharashtra Government Withdraws 10% EWS Quota in Private Medical Colleges

The Maharashtra government has revoked its decision to implement a 10% Economically Weaker Section (EWS) quota in private medical colleges, following strong opposition from students, parents, and college managements. The decision, announced on Wednesday by the State Medical Education Department, stipulates that the EWS reservation will only apply if the Central government or respective councils increase the total number of seats to offset the impact on other categories.

The rollback comes a week after the Maharashtra Common Entrance Test (CET) Cell released the admission brochure for NEET UG 2025 on July 23, which included a provision for the 10% EWS quota in private medical colleges. The move had sparked concerns among stakeholders, as it would have reduced open-category seats without a corresponding increase in total seat capacity. This led to fears of higher cut-off scores and reduced opportunities for general merit candidates, prompting widespread protests.

On July 29, a group of parents and medical aspirants met Medical Education Minister Hasan Mushrif and Principal Secretary Dheeraj Kumar to voice their objections. They argued that implementing the quota without additional seats was unfair, citing the Central government’s 2019 approach, where a 25% seat increase accompanied the EWS quota in government medical colleges. The Association of Managements of Unaided Private Medical and Dental Colleges (AMUPMDC) also opposed the decision, stating it would strain their finances and disrupt admissions.

The revised order, issued on July 30, clarifies that for MBBS, BDS, BAMS, BHMS, and BUMS courses, the 10% EWS reservation will only be enforced if additional seats are sanctioned by the Central government or relevant councils. For other courses, the quota will apply to existing seats. This decision aligns with a Supreme Court ruling that EWS reservations should not reduce seats for other categories unless accompanied by a proportional increase in intake.

Parents and students welcomed the move. “The minister and department listened to our concerns and acted swiftly,” said Sudha Shenoy, a parent representative. Brijesh Sutaria, another activist, added, “This ensures merit-based access while adhering to the Central government’s framework.” The decision marks the second major policy reversal in Maharashtra’s education sector within a month, following the scrapping of the three-language policy on June 29 after public criticism.

With 22 private medical colleges offering 3,120 MBBS seats in Maharashtra, the rollback has brought relief to aspirants amid ongoing NEET UG counselling. The state government has assured that it will review the issue further, ensuring compliance with court rulings and stakeholder concerns.