Maratha Kranti Morcha protests over PG admissions under Maratha quota

The Maratha Kranti Morcha (MKM), on Monday, hardened its stand and launched an indefinite agitation in Mumbai until the admission of 250 students in PG medical and dental courses is restored. The Supreme Court, last week, upheld the order of the Bombay High Court's Nagpur bench cancelling the admission process under the Socially and Educationally Backward Class (SEBC) category for the academic year 2019-20. The MKM has decided to organise a massive mobilisation of Maratha community members in the city from across the state to express their support to agitating students.

MKM activist and PG student Dr Krushna Kirkire, whose admission in the surgery branch stands cancelled, said,'' Students want that seats of 250 students and the respective branches in which admission was granted under the SEBC Act should not be changed but maintained in the current academic year to save their careers. This is necessary as all these students did not apply for All India admission tests and also did not go in for the admission process in other states.'' He said the government will have to foot fees for these students as promised by Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis.

Another student Dr Shivaji Bhosale insisted that the state government should issue a directive under section 17(1) of the SEBC Act, 2018 to restore their admissions in PG medical and dental courses.

Dr Bhosale said that former deputy chief minister Ajit Pawar met him and took him to the state medical education minister Girish Mahajan to seek an immediate solution. Pawar has also agreed to take them to Fadnavis.

Mahajan said the government is working to find a solution, but it cannot take immediate action in the wake of the model code of conduct. He explained that the government is exploring an option to promulgate an ordinance so that students can continue to get benefits under the SEBC Act.

Reservation expert Balasaheb Sarate said the ordinance route is not required as the government under section 17(1) of SEBC Act can issue an order to remove the hurdles caused after the Supreme Court order. ''The SEBC Act is not implemented retrospectively as the concerned admissions are for 2019-20 and not for 2018-19,'' he noted.

BALL IN STATE’S COURT

• The MKM has decided to organise a massive mobilisation of Maratha community members in Mumbai
• State medical edu minister Girish Mahajan said the govt is looking for a solution 
• Mahajan further said the govt can’t act immediately due to the model code of conduct
• He said govt is exploring an option to promulgate an ordinance so that students can continue to get benefits under the SEBC Act