The Bombay High Court, which is hearing petitions filed by parents of ICSE and CBSE students challenging the Maharshtra government's decision to reserve 90 per cent seats for SSC pass-outs in 11th standard admissions, on Friday, sought details from the top colleges in the city.
The judges asked the government to compile a list of 20 preferential colleges in the city and state whether they are government, private, aided or minority institution-run ones. The arguments remained incomplete even today, but court is expected to wrap up the hearing on July 6.
In Friday's arguments, petitioner's counsel Navroz Seervai submitted that the state government had no business to thrust their scheme on private colleges. He also submitted, "If the government is funding the colleges they have the right (to dictate policy). If the policy is arbitrary or unreasonable, it cannot escape scrutiny of court." The government's stand is that ICSE and CBSE boards have liberal marking systems and hence students from these boards score more in 10th standard, thus getting an advantage over SSC pass-outs. The students from SSC and non-SSC boards can not get equal treatment because two groups are not equal, the state contends. But, ICSE and CBSE students contend that leaving only 10 per cent seats for them is a gross discrimination.
