New Delhi: Supreme Court on Friday allowed admissions with a 27% quota for OBCs, 10% for economically weaker sections for 2021-22.
Justice DY Chandrachud said, "We have upheld the constitutional validity of 27 per cent reservation for OBC in NEET PG and UG. For EWS this year the 10 per cent will apply for this year and the prospective ruling will be decided on a final EWS hearing to be held on March 3, 2022."
He further added, "Criteria mentioned to identify EWS will be used for NEET PG and UG. The Pandey committee report will be subject to the final validity of the subject assailed. We accept the Pandey committee report. Counselling for NEET PG and UG will be taken place in consonance with the notification as given effect to the in-office memorandum."
On Thursday, the Top Court had directed the parties to submit a note by Friday on their submissions and reserved its judgment on the matter challenging the central government and Medical Counselling Committee(MCC)'s notification providing 10% reservation to EWS and 27% reservation to OBC in all India quota medical seats.
The bench comprising of Justice DY Chandrachud and Justice AS Bopanna heard the matter at length both on Wednesday and Thursday even after the court hours.
Read: NEET PG Counselling: SC reserves judgement in OBC, EWS quota case
The matter is crucial as NEET counselling, which was scheduled for October 25, was stayed by the top court as it had doubts on Rs 8 lakh income fixed by the Centre to determine the EWS(economically weaker section).
Postponing of counselling sessions left around 50,000 resident doctors anxious, leading to protests in Delhi where they were mishandled by the police on their way to the top court.
This was followed by Solicitor General of India, Tushar Mehta, mentioning the matter before a Chief Justice of India (CJI) NV Ramana-led bench and seeking an urgent hearing on January 5 itself instead of January 6, for which it was adjourned earlier.
There was a batch of pleas that had challenged the Centre's decision to bring reservations, on which the apex court had also raised doubts and stayed the counselling after the Centre assured that it won't continue without further orders from the Supreme Court.
