'In Larger Interest Of Country': Madras HC Recommends Resuming Reservation Of 2 Seats In MBBS/BDS Course For PM Rashtriya Bal Puraskar Awardees

While the court agreed that discontinuing the reservation is a policy decision of the government, the bench of Justice RMT Teekaa Raman and Justice N Senthuilkumar observed that such reservation would be a right step for inculcating scientific temper among students as envisaged in the preamble of the Constitution.

“Hence, though it is a policy decision, taking into consideration the facts and circumstances of the case, “we recommend for resumption of such reservation” of two seats for the awardees of Pradhan Mantri Rashtriya Bal Puraskar will be a right step for inculcating “scientific temper” among the students as envisaged in the preamble portion of the Constitution of India,” the court said.

Though the Ministry argued that conferment of award was itself a recognition and hence no additional benefit may be given to the awardees beyond the award, the court observed that the "child awardee for exceptional achievements needs encouragement" and that the reservation was rightly introduced.

“In the larger interest of our country, to make achievements in the filed of Science and Technology, such reservation providing two seats in central pool for the admission in MBBS/BDS courses, after clearing the NEET Examination, may be a forward step to make our students to go high in life,” the court observed.

The court was hearing an appeal filed by Sivasooryaa against the order of single judge refusing to grant him relief. He had approached the court seeking directions to the Ministry of Women and Child Development to nominate and recommend his name to the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare for admission in MBBS Course for the academic year 2021-22 against the 2 vacancies allocated from Central Pool for awardees of the National Child Award for exceptional achievements in the field of innovation.

The appellant informed the court that he was conferred with the Young Scientist award and had made both technical and academic achievements. He submitted that he had won the Pradhan Mantri Rashtriya Bal Puraskar. While so, in 2021, when he cleared NEET, he was under the impression and fond hope that he would get selected under the Central Pool but since he was not selected, he approached the court.

The Assistant Solicitor General of India submitted that the scheme was dispensed with and dropped from the academic year 2022-23. It was informed that the Ministry of Women and Child Development had expressed its inability to identify the beneficiaries for seat allocation as a result of which the awardees ceased to enjoy the benefit. This was informed to the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare which accepted the surrender of seats and made appropriate allocations.

The court was not inclined to interfere with the order of the single judge as the same was a policy decision of the Government. The court thus noted that it would not be able to grant the relief as sought for since the seats were already surrendered.

The court was however not ready to accept the stand of the Ministry of Women and Child Development that it did not have expertise to identify the beneficiaries. The court noted that the yardstick was crystal clear and a candidate won the Pradhan Mantri Rashtriya Bal Puraskar would be eligible. The court was also unable the reason given by the ministry for dropping the scheme stating that the award itself was a recognition.

Thus, the court recommended the Ministry to resume the reservation and disposed of the plea. 

Counsel for Appellant: Mr.G.S.Vivekanandan

Counsel for Respondent: Mr.AR.L.Sundaresan Assistant Solicitor General of India assisted by Mr.S.Jeyasingh

Case Title: Sa. Sivasooryaa v Union of India and Others

Citation: 2025 LiveLaw (Mad) 67

Case No: W.A.(MD) No.1046 of 2022