MK Stalin writes to PM Modi on implementing OBC quota in medical schools

Chennai: DMK President M K Stalin urged the Prime Minister, Narendra Modi, to immediately intervene, in the interest of the Other Backward Classes’ students, and ensure that the committee finalized the terms of implementation for the execution of the state-specific quota, in accordance with the judgment of the Madras High Court so that reservation could be implemented during this academic year in medical college admissions.

In a letter to the Prime Minister, in the aftermath of Monday’s judgment by the Supreme Court with regard to the implementation of OBC reservation in medical Seats allotted by the State to All India Quota, Stalin said ‘There is now a real concern that the students belonging to Other Backward Classes will not benefit from the state-specific reservation policies during this Academic Year.’

He said that without the implementation of reservation, thousands of students would not have a chance to pursue higher education in the field of medicine and urged the Prime Minister to intervene immediately and ensure that thousands of students and medical aspirants from disadvantaged and underprivileged communities are given an opportunity to study medicine during this academic year.

It was the Madras High Court, in a case filed by the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam, which had held that the OBC students have a right to reservation in All India Quota Seats and had further directed the Central and State Government authorities to work out the procedure in ‘terms of implementing State Specific reservation,’ Stalin said.

Though the Committee had been constituted, it was disheartening that the dreams of thousands of OBC students and medical aspirants may not be fulfilled in the present year, Stalin said.  

‘It would be an unimaginable loss to our country, especially during the time of an unprecedented pandemic, if students from underprivileged communities are not provided the opportunities to study medicine and serve our country,’ he added.