24 september 24024 : The Supreme Court has characterized the Punjab Government’s petition as a “complete fraud” and a “money-making scheme,” dismissing its challenge to the Punjab and Haryana High Court’s ruling that overturned the expansion of the NRI quota for MBBS and BDS admissions.
Chief Justice DY Chandrachud, leading the bench, stated, “Let’s put an end to this. The NRI business is nothing but a fraud. It must stop now. It allows those with lower marks to take opportunities from those who genuinely deserve it. We cannot endorse something that is clearly illegal.”
On August 20, the Punjab Government had expanded the definition of an NRI candidate to include distant relatives like uncles, aunts, grandparents, and cousins for the 15% NRI quota in medical college admissions. However, the High Court quashed this notification on September 10, citing that such a broad definition could lead to misuse, allowing individuals outside the original intent of the policy to claim NRI seats, thus sidelining more deserving candidates.
The Supreme Court supported the High Court’s stance, emphasizing, “We must put an end to this NRI quota issue now! This is complete fraud and it damages our education system! The judges are well aware of what they are addressing, and the High Court has thoroughly examined the case.”