Summary:
New Delhi, Jan 20 (PTI) Merit cannot be reduced to narrow definitions of performance in an open competitive examination which only provides formal equality of opportunity, the Supreme Court said on Thursday as it upheld 27 per cent Other Backward Classes (OBC) reservation in All India Quota (AIQ) seats in the NEET for UG and PG medical courses.
Justifying allowing quota for Economically Weaker Sections (EWS) on existing quota for current academic year, the bench said, “We are still in the midst of the pandemic and any delay in the recruitment of doctors would impact the ability to manage the pandemic.
Hence, it is necessary to avoid any further delays in the admission process and allow counselling to begin immediately”.
A bench of Justices D Y Chandrachud and A S Bopanna passed order detailing reasons for upholding the 27 per cent OBC reservation and allowing 10 per cent EWS quota on existing criteria for this year.
"In view of the discussion above we hold that the reservation for OBC candidates in the AIQ seats for UG and PG medical and dental courses is constitutionally valid..," the bench said.
Dealing with the validity of OBC quota, the bench said, “Merit cannot be reduced to narrow definitions of performance in an open competitive examination which only provides formal equality of opportunity.