The Centre on Monday asked the Supreme Court to advance hearing in the matter related to the validity of EWS quota in Post Graduate courses in medical colleges from January 6, in view of urgency.
Solicitor General Tushar Mehta mentioned the matter before a bench presided over by Justice D Y Chandrachud, who said he would consult with the Chief Justice of India for constitution of the bench, also comprising Justices Surya Kant and Vikram Nath to take up the case.
Senior advocate Arvind Datar, appearing for a party, sought permission to file a response to the affidavit furnished by the Centre.
The delay in admission to Post Graduate medical courses has led medicos to resort to protests and agitation here.
In its affidavit, the Centre has told the court that it has decided to accept the recommendation of a three-member panel to retain the current gross annual family income limit of Rs 8 lakh or less for Economically Weaker Section (EWS).
In an affidavit filed in a matter related to admissions for NEET-PG, the Centre said the panel has recommended that “only those families whose annual income is up to Rs eight lakh would be eligible to get the benefit of EWS reservation”.
On November 30, the government had constituted the member committee, comprising Ajay Bhushan Pandey, former finance secretary, V K Malhotra, member secretary, ICSSR and Sanjeev Sanyal, Principal Economic Adviser to Centre, after the assurance given to the top court, which had earlier stayed the admission process.
In its report submitted on December 31 to the Centre said, the panel said, “The current gross annual family income limit for EWS of Rs 8 lakh or less may be retained. In other words only those families whose annual income is up to Rs eight lakh would be eligible to get the benefit of EWS reservation.”
On October 25, the court had directed the Centre to put on hold counselling for NEET-PG until it decided the validity of OBC and EWS reservation in the All India Quota (AIQ). A group of petitioners led by Neil Aurelio Nunes challenged the Centre's notification of July 29 to implement OBC and EWS reservation in NEET-All India Quota from the current academic session in PG courses.
Watch the latest DH videos: