The Supreme Court has termed the quota system for NRIs in colleges a fraudulent practice while dismissing an appeal filed by the Punjab government against a high court order invalidating the revised rules for admissions in the MBBS course under this quota.
In a notification dated August 20, the Punjab government enlarged the scope of NRI candidates to include relatives. It allowed them to claim MBBS seats, but the Punjab and Haryana High Court disallowed the amendment due to the apprehension of its misuse.
During the hearing at the Supreme Court, the Punjab government’s counsel at one stage referred to what he claimed was a broader definition being followed by other states, such as Himachal Pradesh and Uttar Pradesh. “HP, UP, Chandigarh-everybody is working on this definition,” he said, suggesting the yardstick was too tight for Punjab.
Chief Justice of India DY Chandrachud responded, “What logic is behind including fifth cousins and sixth cousins of NRIs? “What is this? Just a money-spinning tactic by the state,” he remarked. The complete bench headed by Justice JB Pardiwala also ruled that the quota system in force regarding NRIs should be ended. “This is an out-and-out fraud. This is what we are doing to our education system,” the Chief Justice felt while pointing out the meritorious candidates receiving higher marks were being denied admission.
Justice Pardiwala further said that all candidates happen to be from India and also assailed the concept of relatives extending to aunts and uncles. The Chief Justice further commented on the vague definitions employed to justify such admissions, that the court cannot countenance practices that are “blatantly illegal.”
Presently, Punjab offers some 185 NRI quota seats in its medical and dental colleges, a system now judged untenable by the highest court.
