Anushka Sharma-
Published On: October 23, 2021 at 15:10 IST
The Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam Party asked the Supreme Court to dismiss the Petitions filed by NEET aspirants challenging the Centre’s decision to grant Other Backward Class (OBC) Reservations of 27 per cent in the NEET-AIQ, citing the fact that thousands of seats in the NEET-All India Quota were denied to OBC candidates in previous years.
The Orders were sought in DMK’s written comments in a batch of Petitions filed by NEET aspirants challenging the Central Government’s decision to incorporate 27 per cent OBC and 10% EWS Reservation in the NEET-AIQ.
“Vide the impugned notice the Union has set right the anomaly for OBCs after a period of 13 years. The granting of impugned reservations of 27% for OBCs in the SCS-AIQ would benefit around 4,000 students this year and would cause a positive domino effect on society at large,” the DMK stated.
The DMK sought to implead itself in the Petitions challenging the OBC Quota in NEET-AIQ.
The DMK argued that social justice is a facet of equality, which is a Fundamental Right, and that the purpose of reservations policy is to offset inequality, bridge the gap between equals and unequal, remove manifest imbalance for those who are falling behind, and correct historical discrimination and injustice against a social class of people. It is an affirmative action, not “sucking off seats,” as the Petitioner’s lawyer phrased it.
The Affidavit stated, “Reservation is a right of share in education and employment in order to bring a level playing field. The policy of reservation is part of the State’s duty to promote socio-economic justice enshrined in the Preamble of the constitution and the fundamental rights.”
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