The Supreme Court on Friday upheld the Centre’s decision to implement 27 per cent OBC reservation in all India quota undergraduate and postgraduate medical seats even as it allowed 10 per cent EWS reservation for this year.

The apex court, however, said the criteria for EWS quota issue for the upcoming years will be decided in a final hearing on March 3.

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Pronouncing their judgement after hearing petitions challenging the Centre’s July 29 notification for implementing 27 per cent OBC and 10 per cent reservation in all India quota of NEET UG and NEET PG, a bench of Justices DY Chandrachud and AS Bopanna said, “We have upheld the constitutional validity of 27 percent reservation for obc in NEET PG AND UG. For EWS this year the 10 percent will apply for this year and the prospective ruling will be decided on a final EWS hearing to be held on March 3, 2022.”

Today’s verdict opened the way for the Medical Counselling Committee (MCC) to begin the NEET UG and NEET PG counselling process.

The apex court yesterday reserved its order in the case.

Senior advocates Arvind Datar and Shyam Divan appeared in the court on behalf of some of the candidates. Senior advocate P Wilson appeared for the DMK.

Solicitor General Tushar Mehta has submitted that the rules were not changed midway as argued by the petitioners as the OBC, EWS reservation scheme is in place since 2019, including in central universities.

Solicitor General Tushar Mehta told the Supreme Court that he would like to dispel the confusion that there is a change in the rules of the game midway. “Firstly, there is no change in the rules of the game. The regime which is the subject matter of this challenge is already implemented since 2019 except in the All India Quota,” he submitted.

The top court on Thursday said it wants the counselling process to begin in the interest of the nation.