What's New

SC Condemns Punjab’s Expanded NRI Quota

Why in the news?

• The Supreme Court condemned Punjab’s move to expand the NRI quota in medical colleges, calling it a “fraud” on the education system.
• A bench led by CJI D.Y. Chandrachud dismissed petitions challenging a Punjab and Haryana High Court order that had quashed the expanded quota.
• The bench stressed that the NRI quota should not be used to bypass merit-based admissions.

Flawed Expansion of NRI Quota:

• Punjab’s notification expanded the NRI quota to include distant relatives like uncles, aunts, and cousins.
• The Court ruled that such a broad interpretation of NRI eligibility is a “money-spinning tactic” that compromises educational integrity.
• The Punjab and Haryana High Court had earlier termed the move unjustified and contrary to the NRI quota’s original purpose.

Merit-Based Admissions Compromised:

• The Court rejected arguments that other states, like Himachal Pradesh and Uttar Pradesh, use similar NRI quota expansions.
• The bench emphasised that the NRI quota should be reserved for genuine NRIs and that merit should not be sacrificed for financial gain.
• The ruling referenced the 2005 PA Inamdar judgement, which disallowed the use of money power to bypass merit-based admissions.

About the Non-Resident Indian (NRI):

• Definition: An individual living outside India for more than 182 days in the previous financial year.
• Eligibility: Indian passport holder residing abroad for employment, education, or business.
• Key Benefits:
  • Special education reservation quotas.
  • Overseas bank accounts like NRE, NRO, RFC.
  • Tax-free income earned abroad.
  • Voting rights in India (with physical presence).
• Limitations:
  • Cannot purchase agricultural land.
  • Ineligible for Aadhaar cards without staying in India for 182 days.

Difference from OCI/PIO:
OCI provides lifelong visas and PIO has been merged into OCI since 2015.

Sources Referred:

PIB, The Hindu, Indian Express, Hindustan Times