AIDSO stages protests against NRI quota in government medical colleges

Members of AIDSO staged protests in various districts of the region against the State government’s plans to introduce 15% NRI quota in government medical colleges.

In Dharwad on Wednesday, students gathered at Vivekananda Circle and shouted slogans against the State government. They demanded abolition of the NRI quota in government medical colleges that would see fees of up to ₹25 lakh per student.

District secretary Shashikala Meti said that the government has taken an anti- poor decision to introduce the NRI quota in government medical colleges in the State from 2025-26.

This will put poor students away from medical education. The place for the poor meritorious students is decreasing in higher education in general and in government institutions specifically, she said.

Already, 15% seats are being given under the all India quota. If another 15% seats are given to NRI students, then only 140 seats will be left for students of the State in a batch of 200 students. This is not acceptable, she said.

Government medical colleges are established to provide quality higher education to deserving and talented students irrespective of their financial background. The NRI quota is nothing but a secret gateway to the undeserving rich students to get medical education. Hundreds of talented students from working class, poor and middleclass families who want to serve society as doctors will be denied the opportunity by reserving seats for wealthy NRI students.

At a time when 12,447 teaching posts are lying vacant in government medical colleges in the State, the government should prioritize filling these posts and improving infrastructure. Strengthening the faculty and facilities is a real need, she said.

She warned that this decision is a dangerous step towards converting government colleges into profit-making centres just like private institutions.

Student leaders Sindhu Kaudi, Supuri Chikkamat, Siddu, Srinivas, Ravi and hundreds of students from various colleges participated in this protest.

Similar protests were held in Belagavi and Bagalkot on Thursday.