Delhi HC seeks Centres reply on defence quota in medical colleges

The Delhi High Court has sought the Centre’s response on reservation policy for defence category and its applicability in MBBS and MD courses of Vardhman Mahavir Medical College (VMMC) and Safdarjung Hospital. The court also directed Guru Gobind Singh Indraprastha University (GGSIPU), with which the college is affiliated, to defer counselling for the seats covered under the five per cent quota for defence personnel till September 22, the next date of hearing.

The court’s order came on a plea by Noor Dhaliwal, who has challenged GGSIU’s action in not making the reservation policy applicable under defence category in VMMC and Safdarjung Hospital.

Justice Sanjeev Sachdeva also issued notice to Ministry of Health and Family Welfare and Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA), asking them to file an affidavit on the issue.

Meanwhile, GGSIU submitted that since VMMC and Safdarjung Hospital is under the central government, though affiliated to it, the policy could not be made applicable qua this college.

The court, in its order, observed that in its “view, the policy framed by the central government for providing reservation to defence category, is a beneficial policy for the benefit of the people who have served this country.

“It is not in dispute that the policy has been applicable for several years and MHA in its July 11, 2016, has directed that the policy shall be made applicable to MBBS/BDS courses,” the court said.

It noted that MHA’s direction providing reservation to defence category has already been implemented in colleges of the Delhi government but not in the colleges of the central government.

“Since the direction itself has been issued by MHA, prima facie, I am of the view that the same should have also been made applicable to VMMC and Safdarjung Hospital,” the judge said.

GGSIU has submitted that since the three medical colleges, DMC Medical College and Hindu Rao Hospital, Doctor BSA Medical College and Army College of Medical Science are under the Delhi government, the policy has been made applicable to them.