The Supreme Court has issued a notice to the Assam government and the National Medical Commission (NMC) on a plea challenging the diversion of 10% seats reserved for the economically weaker sections (EWS) to the non-resident Indians (NRIs) in the state medical colleges. The petitioners have alleged that this move violates the constitutional mandate of providing equal opportunities to all citizens and deprives the deserving candidates belonging to the EWS category.
The NRI quota is a reservation of seats for the students of Indian origin who are residing abroad or whose parents are working abroad. The NRI quota is available in some government and private medical colleges in India, ranging from 3% to 15% of the total seats. The NRI quota is meant to attract talented students from abroad and to promote cultural diversity in the medical education sector.
However, the NRI quota has also been criticized for being a source of corruption and commercialization of medical education. Some reports have revealed that the NRI quota seats are being sold at exorbitant prices to ineligible candidates who do not have any genuine connection with India. Moreover, the NRI quota deprives the meritorious students from India who clear the NEET exam but do not get admission due to the limited number of seats.
