The Delhi High Court has sought the responses of the state government, Guru Gobind Singh Indraprastha University (GGSIPU) and Delhi University (DU) on a plea challenging the eligibility criteria for NEET (UG) aspirants to claim Delhi state quota seats in medical colleges affiliated with the two varsities here.?

Justice Purushaindra Kumar Kaurav issued notice to the Delhi government, Directorate General Health Services, GGSIPU and DU and asked them to file their replies within two weeks. The high court listed the matter for further hearing on August 7.

GGSIPU issued a notification on June 28 calling for submission of documents from eligible candidates for Delhi state quota seats which constitute 85 per cent of the total seats.

The plea filed by a NEET aspirant said the petitioner is aggrieved at the lack of residential criteria being one of the mandatory eligibility criteria for claiming Delhi state quota seats. It said the eligibility criteria was restricted to merely passing ?class 11 and 12 exams from a school affiliated to a recognised board within Delhi for admission to undergraduate courses – MBBS / BDS etc. in the colleges and institutions in the national capital.

“Such irrational and arbitrary requirement has over the years resulted in illegal practices being resorted to by the schools within Delhi for illegitimately providing the ‘dummy schooling’ platform to students from outside Delhi (majorly from the adjoining states) who migrate to Delhi after their class 10th exams with the sole purpose of somehow availing the benefit of Delhi state quota seats (which otherwise ought to be allocated amongst the bonafide residents of NCT of Delhi),” the petition said.?

Filed through advocates Ayush Beotra and Amish Tandon, it alleged the illegitimate ‘dummy schooling’ concept has emerged as a via media for fulfilling the eligibility criteria for appearing in the NEET (UG) without any difficulty or controversy.?

The petition sought inclusion of the criteria of residence as one of the mandatory eligibility criteria for students to claim the quota for admission to MBBS and BDS courses here.

It also sought a direction to CBSE to identify and take necessary action against city schools which are affiliated to the board and are indulging in illegal conduct of offering ‘dummy schooling’ to students of classes 11 and 12.