Maharashtra NEET UG, PG aspirants oppose 10% EWS quota, request meeting with chief minister

Disappointments are mounting among Maharashtra NEET UG and NEET PG aspirants, and their parents, after the state government introduced the 10% EWS quota in NEET UG counselling for private medical colleges. The last-minute implementation of the reservation has stoked fears among students that their hard-earned opportunity is being unfairly taken away.

The students have written to the Maharashtra chief minister Devendra Fadnavis, deputy chief minister Eknath Shinde and Ajit Pawar, and general administrative department requesting for an appointment to submit their grievances.

Students said that the move – introduced after the admission process began – violates the Supreme Court directives and admission policy. As per the SC order, the EWS reservation should be implemented only after increasing the number of seats. However, students fear the sudden implementation could deprive all other categories, including SC, ST, OBC, and general category of their rightful merit-based seats.

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'Growing reservation quota is denying justice'

“There is a Supreme Court ruling clearly stating that EWS seats can be implemented without affecting seats of any other category hence there was a commitment by the Central Government to increase seats by 25% to implement this 10% EWS so how is your Government not complying with the Central rule and Supreme Court verdict?” the letter read.

Saying that the students of Maharashtra have high hopes from the state government, they requested the chief minister to “not jeopardize the future of meritorious students in this frenzy of increasing quota”.

Students and their parents said that they have “no issues” with the government extending completely free education to the EWS category. However, they added, “Snatching someone’s hard earned seat to another low ranking candidate through this ever growing reservation quota is denying justice.”

The email sent on Friday read: “Students have to burn midnight oil to crack these entrance exams and sometimes have to repeat multiple times to reach that score of a suitable seat. This decision of yours puts the middle class general category students at a disadvantage, who are unable to obtain EWS certificates due to various reasons.”