The Madras High Court on Wednesday approved the recent notification of the Centre providing 27 per cent reservation to OBC (other backward class) candidates for admission in Central medical colleges under the all-India quota (AIQ).
Rejecting a plea for more reservation for Tamil Nadu, the Bench said the reservation of AIQ seats for admission to the under-graduate, post-graduate and diploma medical and dental courses across the States must be uniform.
Logically, if the seats are given to candidates across the country, there cannot be reservation to one extent in one State and to another extent in a different one, it said.
The Bench said the concept of reservation that appears to have been addressed by the Constituent Assembly while framing the Constitution may have been turned on its head by repeated amendments and the veritable re-invigoration of the caste system – and even extending it to denominations where it does not exist – instead of empowering citizens so that merit may ultimately decide matters as to admission, appointment and promotion.