National desk
24 September
Sandeep Dhand Ludhiana
The Supreme Court dismissed the Punjab government’s petition against the Punjab and Haryana High Court’s decision to cancel changes in the NRI quota for MBBS and BDS admissions in the state. The court, led by Chief Justice DY Chandrachud, criticized the move as a “total fraud” and a “money-making scheme.”
The Punjab government’s notification, issued on August 20 last year, expanded the NRI quota to include distant relatives like aunts, uncles, grandparents, and cousins. This allowed them to be eligible for 15 percent of the reserved seats in medical colleges.
However, the High Court struck down the notification on September 10, stating that it could be misused, giving unfair advantages to ineligible candidates at the expense of deserving students. The Supreme Court upheld this view, saying the changes were “patently illegal” and should not be allowed to continue.
With this decision, the NRI quota remains limited, ensuring only genuine NRI candidates can benefit, protecting the opportunities for deserving students.