Supreme Court Upends Punjab's NRI Quota Expansion for Medical Admissions

The Supreme Court dismissed the Punjab government's appeal against a high court decision that quashed the state's expansion of the NRI quota for medical and dental admissions. The court condemned the extension as a 'fraud' that favored distant relatives of NRIs over more meritorious candidates.

The Supreme Court on Tuesday dismissed Punjab's appeal against a high court ruling that quashed its decision to broaden the NRI quota definition for undergraduate medical and dental courses in the state.

The apex court termed the expansion a 'fraud' that needed to end immediately, stating that the scheme allowed distant relatives like uncles, aunts, grandparents, and cousins of NRIs to claim seats under the 15% quota, which undermines the merit of more qualified candidates.

Chief Justice D Y Chandrachud and Justices J B Pardiwala and Manoj Misra criticized the Punjab government's move, labeling it a 'money-spinning machine.' The bench emphasized the necessity to uphold legal precedents and ensure merit-based admissions.

(With inputs from agencies.)