SC junks Punjab's plea to expand definition of NRIs for MBBS admisson
This story was originally published at 15:35 IST on 24 September 2024
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NEW DELHI – Rejecting the Punjab government's plea, the Supreme Court today upheld a Punjab and Haryana High Court order to quash the state's notification to expand the definition of non-resident Indians to make their relatives eligible for admission in the state's medical colleges.
"We must stop this NRI quota business now," said the Bench, led by Chief Justice of India D.Y. Chandrachud. "This fraud has come to an end. This NRI business is nothing but a fraud. This comes to an end now."
In an Aug 20 notification, the Punjab government had widened the definition of NRI candidates and included their relatives in that category. The high court had rejected Punjab's notification and said, "By broadening the definition to include distant relatives such as uncles, aunts, grandparents, and cousins, the core objective of NRI quota was undermined."
The high court had said that the widening opened the door to potential misuse, allowing individuals who do not come under the original intent of the policy to take advantage of these seats, potentially bypassing more deserving candidates. It said that the modified provision, which permitted relatives to qualify as guardians, simply by showing that he or she had looked after such a student, was vague and lacked clear criteria.
The apex court today questioned the state's move to include the nearest relation of NRI in its definition and said, "This is just a money-spinning tactic of the state...What is ward! You just have to say I am looking after 'X'. See, the students who got three times higher (marks) have lost out. We cannot lend our authority to something which is blatantly illegal."
The high court was hearing petitions relating to admission to MBBS courses this year under the 15% quota reserved for non-resident Indians. After rejection from the high court, the Punjab government, along with some students, had moved the apex court. End
Reported by Surya Tripathi
Edited by Avishek Dutta
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