Maharashtra: 970 MBBS seats added by MCI; 2000 more to come next year

Maharashtra: In a bonanza to medical aspirants intending to pursue MBBS from Maharashtra based medical colleges, over 970 MBBS seats have been added corresponding to the implementation of Economically Weaker Sections (EWSs) quota by MCI, while for next academic session, 2,000 more MBBS seats will be added.

Medical Dialogues has recently reported about approval given by the Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare (MoHFW) and the Board of Governors in supersession of Medical Council of India (MCI BoG) to increase the MBBS seats in view the EWS reservation in over 132 medical colleges.

By the MCI and Ministry's nod, 20 medical colleges from Maharashtra succeeded in raising their MBBS seats by 970 in total.

Read Also: EWS Quota: MCI, Health Ministry increase 4465 MBBS seats in 132 Medical Colleges, Here is state wise details

Now, according to a recent report by PTI, the Maharashtra government will increase the existing number of MBBS seats by 2000 from the next year to accommodate more students. This information surfaced during a recent session at the Legislative Council.

During the sitting, Medical Education Minister Girish Mahajan also told the Upper House that the government was in the process to hike seats for post-graduate medical courses.

Takle sought to know the stand of the government on granting reservation to Maratha students in post-graduate medical courses under the Socially and Economically Backward Class (SEBC) category against the backdrop of a supreme court judgement.

Governor C Vidyasagar Rao had last month signed an ordinance to provide quota under the Socially and Economically Backward Class (SEBC) Reservation Act, 2018 to candidates seeking admission to post-graduate medical courses.

Mahajan also admitted that some students faced difficulties during the admission procedure because of the 16 per cent reservation that came into effect for the Maratha community.

He assured the Council that the admission process would be more streamlined the next year.

The Nagpur bench of the Bombay High Court had last month said that 16 per cent reservation given to the Maratha community under the SEBC category will not be applicable to admissions to the PG medical and dental courses this year.

The government later approached the Supreme Court, which upheld the verdict of the High Court.

Many students, who had got admission to post-graduate medical courses under the SEBC quota, had appealed to the state government to find a suitable solution.

Read Also: Maharashtra Legislative Assembly clears bill on Maratha Quota for PG Medical Admissions