HC notice to MCI on PIL to increase in MBBS, BDS seats in

The Madras High Court today ordered notice to Medical Council of India for not following its earlier direction to consider increasing the number of seats for MBBS and BDS courses under the quota of ex-servicemen's children.
Petitioner M Arjunan submitted that the health and family department had reserved two seats under this category in the academic year 1984-85 when there were nine medical colleges in the state with 1500 seats. This has now mushroomed to 19 government colleges and 13 private colleges with 2,172 and 993 seats respectively.
The number of reserved seats, however, remained at just two. In 29 districts of the state, there were 1,73,854 ex- servicemen. As the number of reserved seats was not enough for such a large number, at least 5 per cent reservation had to be provided under the quota for MBBS and BDS courses, he said.

The High Court had on September 10, 2014, asked the state government to examine the issue, taking into consideration the enhanced number of seats since 1984-85.
Despite the verdict, the health and family department, the Directorate of Medical Education and MCI failed to take action. As it amounted to "wilful disobedience and contempt of court order, he had filed the contempt petition, Arjunan said.
When the matter came up for hearing before the first bench of Chief Justice Sanjay Kishan Kaul and Justice M M Sundresh, the petitioner's counsel said there was a provision of 10 per cent reservation under the quota in Karnataka.

The government pleader sought time to file a reply. The matter was posted to April 23 for further hearing.