CURRENT AFFAIRS
CURRENT AFFAIRS
Description
Maharashtra has decided to implement a 10% reservation for candidates from the Economically Weaker Sections (EWS) in private medical colleges beginning in the 2025-26 academic year. The announcement was made via the official brochure released by the Maharashtra Common Entrance Test (CET) Cell. The reservation applies to general category students whose annual family income is below Rupees 8 lakh. However, this development has sparked concerns due to its impact on the availability of general category seats, as the total intake has not been increased.
EWS Reservation: National Context
The EWS quota was introduced at the national level in 2019 through the 103rd Constitutional Amendment. It grants a 10% reservation for economically disadvantaged individuals from the general category, excluding those already covered under Scheduled Castes (SC), Scheduled Tribes (ST), and Other Backward Classes (OBC). To qualify, the candidate’s annual household income must be less than ?8 lakh, covering income from all sources such as salary, business, and agriculture.
Details From Maharashtra CET Cell Brochure
According to the CET Cell's latest undergraduate medical admission brochure, the EWS quota will be applicable to state quota seats in government, government-aided, municipal, and private unaided medical institutions—excluding minority institutions. This decision aligns with Article 15(6)(b) of the Constitution, which empowers states to provide reservations for EWS students in private educational institutions.
Change From Previous System
Earlier, EWS candidates in Maharashtra’s private medical colleges could access tuition fee waivers or reimbursements but did not benefit from a dedicated reservation in seat allotment. The current decision alters this structure by earmarking a percentage of seats specifically for EWS students, effectively reducing the number of general merit seats.
Implications For MBBS Seat Distribution
Maharashtra has 22 private medical colleges offering a combined total of 3,120 MBBS seats under the general category. With the implementation of the 10% EWS quota, approximately 300 seats will now be reserved, directly reducing the seats available to general category aspirants. This could result in heightened competition and higher cut-off marks for general applicants. Unlike government colleges, which have previously received permission to increase seats to incorporate the EWS quota, private institutions have not been granted such approval yet.
Concerns Among Parents And Institutions
The sudden implementation has led to unease among stakeholders. Parents are worried about increased competition and potential fee hikes, while private institutions fear revenue loss due to the shift in seat allocation. There are concerns that this may lead to higher tuition fees or the introduction of additional fee components to offset the financial impact. Fee structures in private colleges are overseen by the Fee Regulatory Authority, which determines fees based on audited data.
Regulatory Hurdles In Increasing Seats
For private medical colleges to increase their intake to balance the new reservation, approval from the National Medical Commission (NMC) is required. While the Maharashtra CET Cell could request such permission, no formal move has been initiated so far. In other states, courts have sometimes directed governments to expand capacity to accommodate EWS quotas, but implementation has varied based on administrative and regulatory factors.
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