NEET 2019 Breaking News: EWS Quota Implemented; 10 percent more MBBS seats at Medical Colleges

New Delhi: In a major development in the implementation of EWS quota and the corresponding increase in MBBS seats, the reservation for Economically Weaker Sections (EWS) will be applicable to NEET 2019, confirms a recent communique by the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare (MoHFW) to the National Testing Agency (NTA).

Earlier, to implement EWS quota, the Medical institutions had been directed to increase 10 per cent MBBS seats at their institutes so the other categories won't get affected.

Medical Dialogues had reported that earlier this year, on January 9, the Parliament had passed the Constitution (124th Amendment) Bill 2019 to help the Economically Weaker Sections (EWS) of Indian society. The bill focused on providing 10 per cent reservation in jobs and higher education to the general category poor.

Considering the bill, it was decided that all educational institutions including ones in the medical field, will offer the EWS quota in the General Category.

To facilitate the decision, the MCI had issued a circular to respective medical education departments, medical universities of the states running GMCs under its jurisdiction; directing them to furnish necessary information in the given format so that the 10 % EWS quota can be implemented at these concerned institutes.

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Now, clarifying the stance of EWS category on this academic year's MBBS admissions, the Union Health Ministry conveyed to NTA that the qualifying percentile for EWS category is 50 percentile and hence there is no need to make any changes in the Online Application Form or providing separate merit list for EWS category. The candidates of EWS category may indicate their category at the time of registration for counselling.

The EWS quota will be provided against the increased seats and the figure of the increased intake shall be known by 31.05.2019 which is the last date for the grant of permission for starting/increase of intake capacity for MBBS courses. "Further, the counselling authorities shall identify the Institutions giving EWS quota and conduct counselling for these seats as a separate category," it added.

Therefore, the Board of Governors in supersession of Medical Council of India (MCI BoG), National Board of Examination (NBE), Dental Council of India (DCI), Indian Nursing Council (INC) and Pharmacy Council of India (PCI) have been asked to take all necessary measures for the implementation of EWS reservation.

The Ministry had directed every Central Educational Institution to increase the number of seats over and above its annual permitted strength in each branch of study or faculty so that the number of seats available, excluding those reserved for the persons belonging to the EWS, is not less than the number of such seats available, in each category for the academic session immediately preceding the date of coming into force of guidelines stipulated for EWS reservation.

"…In case the annual permitted strength cannot be implemented for reasons of financial, physical or academic limitation or in order to maintain the standards of education, such increase can be implemented over a period of two years beginning with the academic session 2019 20 after the representation by the Central Education institution to the appropriate' authority and subject to its satisfaction on the grounds as stated above. At any stage of implementation of EWS reservation, the number and percentage of reservation provided for SC /ST /OBC categories shall not be reduced," the ministry had directed.

In an earlier notice on the EWS reservation dated 29^th January, 2019, the Under Secretary to Government of India had informed about the Ministry of Human Resource Development order for implementation EWS in Admission to educational 2019-20 onwards for students/candidates who are not covered under the existing schemes of reservation of SC/ST/OBC and as per the mandate of the Constitution (One Hundred and Third Amendment) ACT, 2019.

The 8 Institutions of excellence, research institutions and institutions of national and strategic importance as specified in the Schedule to The Central Educational Institutions (Reservation in Admission) Act, 2006 and minority educational institutions referred to in Article 30(1) of the Constitution are exempted from the operation of this Amendment Act. North Eastern Indira Gandhi Regional Institute of Health and Medical Science, Shillong (NElGRIHMS) is one of the 8 Institutions exempted by the Act, 2006.

To view the notice, click here.

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