At a medical college in Srinagar, students anxiously wait for the outcome of the Jammu and Kashmir government’s plea in the Supreme Court in which the state has challenged the top court’s order on the National Eligibility Entrance Tests or NEET.
The case will come up for hearing today. The most worried are female doctors and aspiring medical students because Jammu and Kashmir is only state which reserved 50 per cent seats only for women in medical colleges – a quota that NEET doesn’t provide.
“Why have women who have suffered so much during the conflict and turmoil and even now be snatched of the right of 50 per cent reservation in the medical seats,” said Dr Suraya.
The state government in its plea before the Supreme Court has invoked special status of Jammu and Kashmir under article 370 and 35A seeking exclusion from NEET.
Even former chief minister Omar Abdullah questioned if their rights would be protected.
The government has pleaded that state has exclusive powers in matters of education and conducting exams and under NEET all the reservation clauses which are peculiar to state of Jammu and Kashmir will go.
While the women will be the biggest casualty, the students from Line of Actual Control, children of defence personal will also lose the quota.
Masood Hussain, a medical student from Ladakh, says if NEET is implemented he will lose the reservation granted to those living near the Line of Actual Control – also a provision not available under NEET.
