Maharashtra has introduced 10 per cent reservation for the Economically Weaker Section (EWS) in private medical colleges from the current academic year.This was known on July 23 after the Maharashtra Common Entrance Test (CET) Cell, which administers the entrance examination for admission to undergraduate (UG) medical courses in the state, released the information brochure for the 2025-26 year.The quota, if implemented without increasing overall seats, will reduce the number of seats for applicants in the general (unreserved) category. It has sent shock waves among candidates, parents, and colleges, especially because the decision seems to have been notified without looping in these stakeholders.The EWS quota in government jobs and educational institutions is for candidates in the “general” category – those who belong to the so-called “forward castes” – who are also relatively poor or economically disadvantaged.To be eligible, a candidate must not have an annual family income of more than Rs 8 lakh. Candidates belonging to the Scheduled Caste (SC), Scheduled Tribe (ST), and Other Backward Classes (OBC) categories, who are already covered under existing quotas, are excluded.The EWS quota was introduced in 2019. An office memorandum issued by the Department of Personnel and Training (DoPT) of the Union Ministry of Personnel, Public Grievances, and Pensions on January 31, 2019, said: “Persons who are not covered under the scheme of reservation for SCs, STs and OBCs and whose family has gross annual income below Rs 8 lakh…are to be identified as EWSs for benefit of reservation.”It clarified that “Income shall also include income from all sources i.e. salary, agriculture, business, profession, etc. for the financial year prior to the year of application.”What does the Maharashtra CET announcement say?Story continues below this adUnder the subhead on EWS category in the annexure on constitutional reservation, which is part of the CET’s information brochure for UG medical admissions for the 2025-26 academic year, it says: “In Government / Government Aided / Corporation / Private Unaided Institutions (excluding Minority Institutions), 10 percent of the available seats under State Quota shall be reserved for candidates belonging to the EWS category.”This is in line with Article 15(6)(b), the enabling provision for the EWS quota that was introduced in the Constitution by the 103rd Amendment Act of 2019.This provision empowers the state to make “any special provision for the advancement of any economically weaker sections of citizens other than [SCs, STs, and OBCs]…in so far as such special provisions relate to their admission to educational institutions including private educational institutions, whether aided or unaided by the State, other than…minority educational institutions…”.How is this different from the existing practice?The 10 per cent quota for the poor in the “general” category did not so far apply to private medical colleges in Maharashtra. There is currently no reservation of seats for the EWS category.Story continues below this adInstead, according to the colleges, the practice has been for candidates who met the EWS eligibility criteria – that is, an annual family income not exceeding Rs 8 lakh – to apply for benefits, including 50 per cent reimbursement of the fee. From last year, “general” category girls pursuing professional courses and meeting the EWS criteria have been allowed 100 per cent reimbursement of fees.What could be the impact of the EWS quota on the number of seats in private medical colleges?Currently, there are 22 private medical colleges in Maharashtra that offer a total 3,120 “general” category seats in the MBBS course. The 10 per cent quota will reduce the number of “general” seats, and will likely push up cut-off scores for admission as the competition gets tougher.Sudha Shenoy, a parent representative, said: “When EWS reservation was implemented in government medical colleges in 2019, all these colleges were granted a one-time increase in the intake capacity in open-merit seats to accommodate the 10 per cent reservation for EWS, so that there is no impact on the number of seats available under the general category… Unless there is a similar increase in intake, out of the 3,000-odd seats available in open merit at private medical colleges, close to 300 will be used to accommodate EWS reservation. This is a considerable reduction.”Story continues below this adAlso Read | National Sports Governance Bill: Key features, what changes for bodies like BCCIAnother parent representative, Brijesh Sutaria, expressed concern over the fee structure, which has been fixed after approvals from the Fee Regulatory Authority (FRA).“The fee structure for any private medical college is finalised based on an audit of its income and expenditure. Fees coming from students is essentially income. With the changed seat matrix, expected income through fees is likely to vary, which may trigger concerns among private medical colleges, who may then charge additional fees under newer heads,” Sutaria said.So why can’t the number of seats be increased so that the intake in the “general” category is not impacted?The one-time additional intake in government medical colleges in 2019 was allowed by the National Medical Commission (NMC), which is the sole authority to regulate student intake.Story continues below this adIn this case, even though the Maharashtra CET Cell conducts the admission to private medical colleges, it will have to approach the NMC for approval before increasing seats, a college representative said.“But there is no guarantee that such additional intake will be allowed in order to accommodate EWS reservation in private medical colleges. Also, the government has not indicated any intention of approaching the NMC,” the college representative said.Last August, Andhra Pradesh High Court stayed a Government Order issued earlier that month notifying 10 per cent EWS reservation in private medical colleges without a proportionate increase in seats.In December 2024, the Madhya Pradesh HC asked the state government to increase seats in private medical colleges to provide for EWS reservation, and gave the state a year to take the required steps.