When students belonging to the Overseas Citizens of India (OCI) category are permitted to take the National Eligibility-cum-Entrance Test (NEET) for admissions to undergraduate medical and dental courses why can’t they be permitted to get admissions to these courses in Karnataka?
A Division Bench comprising Justice H.G. Ramesh and Justice John Michael Cunha, which was hearing petitions filed by Soundarya and seven other OCI category students, posed this question orally and asked the State government to spell out its stand by Friday on whether or not it would allow OCI students for admissions to these courses.
The Bench posed the query when a counsel representing a student pointed out that neighbouring States such as Kerala and Telangana have already made provisions for admission of students belonging to OCI category who hail from the respective States. The Bench also noticed that the Union government itself had allowed OCI students to appear for NEET for the purpose of seeking admissions to undergraduate medical and dental courses.
Moreover, it has been contended on behalf of the petitioner students that the Karnataka Selection of Candidates for Admission to Government Seats in Professional Educational Institutions Rules, 2006, which allows admission to these courses under the government quota only for Indian citizens, is contrary to the amendments made to the Citizenship Act, giving certain benefits to the registered OCIs on parity with Non-Resident Indians.
The Ministry of External Affairs had specifically stated that the registered OCIs are entitled to appear for the All-India Pre-medical Test or such other tests to make them eligible for admission in pursuance of the provisions contained in the relevant Acts.
The petitioners are children of Indian citizen but were born abroad when their parents were employed in foreign countries.
