Reservation for OBC, EWS Category in Medical Courses
Recently, Other Backward Classes (OBC) and Economically Weaker Sections (EWS) have been provided quota for medical courses under the All India Quota (AIQ) scheme.
- The Union Health Ministry has announced 27 percent reservation for Other Backward Classes, and 10 percent for Economically Weaker Sections under AIQ scheme for admission to undergraduate and postgraduate courses for state-run medical and dental colleges.
- AIQ scheme was started in the year 1986. Its purpose is to provide domicile-free and merit-based opportunities to the students of any state to study in a good medical college of any other state.
- This includes 15% of undergraduate seats and 50% of postgraduate seats in government medical colleges. Earlier, there was no reservation in AIQ scheme till the year 2007.
- In the year 2007, the reservation was implemented for Scheduled Castes (15% of AIQ seats) and Scheduled Tribes (7.5% of AIQ seats) under the scheme.
Article 15 and special provisions for education
- Based on the provisions of Article 15(5), in the academic session 2006-07, 27 percent OBC reservation was implemented in higher education institutions including central government medical institutions.
- However, it did not include seats for medical and dental courses under the All India quota for OBCs in the states.
- In the year 2019 through the Constitution (103rd Amendment) Act, 10% reservation for EWS in higher education institutions was implemented under Article 15(6)
- But it also excluded seats for medical and dental courses under the All India quota for EWS.
- Article 15(5) makes special provisions for admission to educational institutions for the advancement of socially and educationally backward classes or Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes.
Source – PIB
