Medical Admissions in Maharashtra : In a sweeping change that has sent shockwaves through the medical education landscape, the once-exclusive NRI category for medical admissions in Maharashtra has vanished. This unexpected alteration has left genuine NRI candidates who had applied for MBBS courses in Maharashtra devoid of opportunities in state medical schools. The state’s Common Entrance Test (CET) cell has taken a bold step this year by amalgamating the institutional quota and the NRI category, effectively merging the two into a single pool of Indian students willing to pay higher fees, both Indians and NRIs alike.
Traditionally, the 15% NRI seats in private colleges across Medical Admissions in Maharashtra were set aside exclusively for NRI and NRI-sponsored candidates. The initial rounds of admission were open solely for these individuals. However, if the list of such candidates was exhausted, the vacant slots would then become available to Indian students willing to pay the substantial NRI fees. This year, this long-standing tradition has been abolished. The previously separate NRI quota has been thrown open to Indian students from the beginning. This means that both NRIs and Indians are now competing for the same 15% of NRI seats, with admission decisions being based on their undergraduate NEET scores.
Medical Admissions in Maharashtra & Alteration In Policy
The sudden alteration in policy has drawn mixed reactions from various quarters. Concerned parents like Vikas Aher, based in the UAE, lamented the injustice faced by NRI students. Aher’s son, Lohitaksha, who is NEET-qualified, had been aiming for a spot under the NRI quota, only to find that the distinction has vanished. “This is complete injustice towards NRI students,” Vikas Aher voiced his concerns.
Interestingly, this policy shift in Maharashtra comes in the wake of a directive from the Central government, which prohibited deemed universities from charging NRI fees from Indian students admitted under the NRI quota in Medical Admissions in Maharashtra. This change seems to be a response to demands from both private colleges and parents, who questioned the fairness of admitting NRI candidates with lower scores when there were Indian aspirants with higher scores willing to pay the same elevated NRI fees.
Dr. Pravin Shingare, the former head of the Directorate of Medical Education and Research, acknowledged this demand and explained, “The decision to allow Indians to pick seats in the NRI category was a demand from private colleges and parents.” While this alteration might ensure that vacant seats are filled, it has triggered a mass exodus of NRI students to other Indian states where the carved-out NRI quota remains exclusive in Medical Admissions in Maharashtra.
Notably, parent representative Sudha Shenoy raised concerns over the legal validity of this alteration. Shenoy contended that a distinct quota had been designated for NRI students, and only once that pool was exhausted should the NRI quota be made available to Indian students. “Allowing Indian students to fill up the seats is a positive step, but it should prioritize those for whom the quota was initially created,” Shenoy stated.
Also Read : NRI Property Taxation : Guide Maximizing Profits and Compliance