The Hindu : New Delhi News : Quota for SCs/STs in MBBS, BDS

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Tuesday, Feb 26, 2008
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Quota for SCs/STs in MBBS, BDS

Special Correspondent

To be implemented from this year under the all-India entrance exam

It will be 15 per cent for Scheduled Castes, 7.5 per cent for Scheduled Tribes
Quota was first introduced in the postgraduate courses during 2007

NEW DELHI: The Union Government has decided to introduce reservation for Scheduled Castes/Scheduled Tribes candidates in undergraduate medical and dental courses from this year under the all-India entrance examination.

The Union Health and Family Welfare Ministry has directed the Director-General of Health Services to implement 15 per cent reservation for SCs and 7.5 per cent for STs in the exams conducted by the Central Board of Secondary Education.

With the introduction of the quota, nearly 310 SC and 155 ST students will benefit this year. In 2007, the total number of MBBS/BDS seats was 2,075, which were filled on the basis of merit.

The decision was taken after the Supreme Court, while hearing an application from the Ministry, left it to the Centre to take a policy decision on the matter.

Seats in government medical and dental colleges across the country that are under the all-India quota are filled on the basis of the entrance examination without any reservation.

However, the State governments are providing reservation for SC/ST candidates as per their policy under their own quota.

A total of 15 per cent of seats in all State government colleges are set aside for the all-India entrance exams for MBBS and BDS courses.

Reservation was introduced in the entrance exams to the postgraduate courses at the all-India level in 2007 following a similar application by the Centre to the Supreme Court. This will continue. Following the new reservation, in all, 1,184 SC/ST students will benefit in both undergraduate and PG courses.

The CBSE will conduct the preliminary test for the all-India entrance exam on April 6 and the final on May 11.

Prior to 1986, the undergraduate and postgraduate medical/dental seats were filled at the State level only. It was in the case of Dr. Pradeep Jain that the Supreme Court considered filling of certain number of seats at the all-India level. Subsequently the Supreme Court formulated the scheme wherein certain seats were earmarked to be filled under the State quota as well as all-India quota. The seats under the all-India quota were to be filled up on the basis of merit though the State governments adopted their reservation policy.

It was at the initiative of the Centre that an application was moved last year in the Supreme Court for seeking permission to introduce reservation for SC/ST candidates in postgraduate medical/dental seats under the all-India quota.

The proposal was approved and the reservation implemented from October 2007.

Accordingly, in 2007, of the 3,248 medical/dental PG seats allocated under the all-India quota, 15 per cent were earmarked for SC candidates and 7.5 per cent for STs.

The actual allocation for SC and ST candidates is 526 and 193 respectively.

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