Andhra Pradesh: High Court stays quota ratio of private minority colleges

Hyderabad: The Hyderabad High Court in order to save the interests of the meritorious, particularly the local minority students, has stayed a government order that allowed private medical colleges (unaided minority colleges) to reduce convenor quota seats and increase management quota seats. Management quota fetches huge sums for fee. The court decision came in response to petitions filed by Basheeruddin Siddiqui and 13 others from Hyderabad and Patthi Sivarajulu and three others from Kotagally of Banswada mandal in Nizamabad district, questioning the orders issued by the state. The petitioner’s Counsel B Rachna Reddy told the bench that the state issued three orders (GO MS Nos: 115, 117 and 117) in July.

The bench of Justice T Rajani and Justice V Ramasubramanian also directed minority colleges, the Kaloji Health University and the government to admit students on the basis of the pattern followed last year and the ratio fixed this year.

The first government order allowed Deccan College of Medical Sciences, Hyderabad to increase its 'B' Category (management quota) seats by decreasing the convenor quota (A Category) number, while the following orders by the government allowed private managements to convert vacant seats from their existing category to others.

The ratio of these seats was 60: 25: 15 as prescribed by the state's GO Ms No 130, issued by its medical and health department in September 2016,60% going to A category (convenor quota), 25% to Category B (management quota) and 15% the last to category C under the NRI quota.

However, the latest GO 115 again alters this ratio with 50% now going the convenor quota way(reduced from the earlier 60%), 35% in the B category(increased from the previous 25%) and the remaining 15% for the NRI category.

An A category seat fetches a fee of Rs. '60,000;the seat in B Category calls for 14 lakh per seat and the same seat in the C Category fetches '28 lakh per annum, said Counsel Rachna adding that this explained the huge favour the state had granted the minority colleges. Explaining further, she said seats costing a mere Rs. 60,000, when shifted to category B, became a whopping Rs. 14 lakh

Interestingly, the abrupt changeovers were introduced after the NEET 2017 results were announced, she added.

"The reasons for this volteface are too obvious to note.This has a huge impact on the students particularly the minority students. No reason or rhyme is stated for this sudden change. The liberty given to convert unfilled seats into other categories too is contrary to the judgements of the Supreme Court", said Justice V Ramasubramanian during his observations on the changes made. "Hence, we are staying all the three GOs," said the bench, and issued notices to the authorities; posting the case for hearing after two weeks, reports TOI.