Supreme Court: In petitions filed challenging a Punjab and Haryana High Court order that had quashed a Punjab Government notification amending conditions for Non-Resident Indian (‘NRI’) quota admissions in the State’s medical colleges, on the ground that the broadening of the definition was ‘arguably unjustified’, a three- judge bench of Dr. DY Chandrachud, JB Pardiwala and Manoj Misra, JJ. while dismissing the petitions, labelled the amended conditions as ‘fraud’, suggesting that they undermined the quality of the country’s education system.
Through a notification dated 20-08-2024, the Punjab government had widened the definition of \NRI candidates to include relatives of NRIs.
The Court remarked that “We must stop this NRI quota business now! This is complete fraud, and this is what we are doing to our education system! Judges know what they are dealing with. High Court has dealt with the case threadbare”.
The Court also said that “this fraud has come to an end. This NRI business is nothing but a fraud. This comes to an end NOW. What is ward? You just have to say I am looking after X. See the students who got three times high have lost out. We cannot lend our authority to something which is blatantly illegal,” the Court eventually said.
Source: Press
