Overview

• The Supreme Court dismissed Punjab's appeal against the high court's ruling that quashed the state's expanded NRI quota for medical and dental courses.
• Punjab's August 20 notification sought to include distant relatives of NRIs, such as uncles, aunts, and cousins, under the NRI quota.
• Chief Justice DY Chandrachud criticized the move as a 'money-spinning tactic' and a 'complete fraud' detrimental to the education system.
• The court emphasized that the expanded quota would unfairly disadvantage more meritorious students in favor of less qualified candidates with NRI connections.
• Approximately 185 NRI quota seats exist in Punjab's medical and dental colleges, many of which remain vacant due to a lack of eligible candidates.