Panaji, 23 October 2024:
Sharad Chopdekar, Chairman of the OBC Cell of the Goa Pradesh Congress Committee, has submitted a formal complaint to Adv. Manohar Adpaiker, Chairman of the OBC Commission for Goa, alleging injustice and discrimination against reserved category candidates during the counseling process for Postgraduate (PG) medical seats at Goa Medical College (GMC) and Goa Dental College (GDC).
In his representation, Chopdekar pointed out procedural flaws in the allocation of clinical seats under the 50% state quota for PG medical admissions, arguing that reserved category candidates (SC, ST, and OBC) were denied fair access to preferred clinical specialties during the counseling sessions for the academic year 2023-24.
The complaint highlights that while the government had reserved 2% seats for SC, 12% for ST, and 27% for OBC candidates as per a notification dated 5 May 2023, these reservations were overlooked during the initial rounds of counseling. As per the revised admission rules, notified on 8 August 2023, 64 seats (32 clinical and 32 non-clinical) were offered under the 50% state quota. However, all 36 candidates from the unreserved category were given the first opportunity to choose seats, leading to the depletion of available clinical seats before reserved category candidates were invited to make their selections.
This counseling procedure, Chopdekar alleges, deprived SC, ST, and OBC candidates of their rightful access to clinical specialties such as General Medicine, Surgery, Pediatrics, and Radiology. The letter further reveals that despite the roster system earmarking specific positions for reserved category candidates, these slots were instead allocated to unreserved candidates.
According to Chopdekar, key roster points — such as 9, 17, 25, and 34 for ST candidates, and multiple positions including 4, 8, 13, and 15 for OBC candidates — were not honored. As a result, SC candidates could not secure any clinical seat, while ST candidates obtained none of the seven seats allotted to them. OBC candidates were left with non-clinical options, managing to secure 12 out of 16 non-clinical seats, but failing to gain access to high-demand clinical departments.
Chopdekar cited a letter dated 24 May 2021 from the Dean of GMC, which confirms the roster system’s guidelines and seat allocations. He emphasized that the failure to adhere to the notified 100-point roster has led to a violation of the reservation policy, undermining the constitutional rights of reserved category candidates.
He urged Adv. Manohar Adpaiker to address the issue urgently, requesting a review of the counseling process to prevent further discrimination. Chopdekar stressed that the government’s reservation policy would be rendered meaningless if the selection process continues to favor unreserved candidates, calling for necessary amendments in the admission rules to ensure fair implementation in future counseling sessions.
The OBC leader concluded his appeal by asking the commission to take proactive steps to restore confidence among the state’s reserved category population and ensure equal opportunities in higher medical education.
This complaint brings to light the challenges faced by marginalized communities in accessing specialized education in Goa, raising concerns about the efficacy and fairness of the state’s reservation system.
This ongoing issue is likely to draw attention from various political and social groups, prompting further discussions on the implementation of reservation policies in higher education.