OCI cardholders eligible to apply for medical, engineering seats, Karnataka govt tells HC
Bengaluru: The Karnataka government clarified before the High Court that all students having Overseas Citizens of India (OCI) cards can be considered for admission to medical, dental and engineering course in government and private colleges at undergraduate level for 2024-25.
The advocate appearing for the government made the submission before the High Court bench while hearing a petition filed by Abhidyu Gowda Mandya Chandrashekar, who holds an OCI card and is studying in Mandya in Karnataka from the past over 10 years. The student had filed the petition challenging a clause in a January 2024 notification of the Karnataka Examination Authority (KEA) with regard to the Common Entrance Test (CET) this year, which stated that government seat eligibility for OCI/PIO (Persons of Indian Origin) candidates would be in accordance with the directions of the government.
Advocate Ajoy Kumar Patil, who appeared for the petitioner, arguing that the clause was contrary to the law laid down by the High Court and the Supreme Court, pointed out that a Division Bench of the High Court had stated in 2020 that OCI students should be treated on par with Indian citizens, abiding by the then notifications issued by the Union government under the Citizenship Act.
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Patil also said that the Supreme Court had passed a judgement in 2023 had declared that the March 2021 notification of the Union government under the Citizenship Act that all OCI/PIO students were eligible for admission to professional courses in the country under the NRI category operated prospectively. The Court had also clarified that the notification could not be enforced on OCI cardholders born before March 21, 2021, he pointed out.
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Rickelton's ton in vain as SRH beat MI by 6 wickets
Mumbai (PTI): Ryan Rickelton's whirlwind unbeaten ton was overshadowed by Heinrich Klaasen's unbeaten 65 as Sunrisers Hyderabad defeated Mumbai Indians by six wickets in an IPL match here on Wednesday.
Chasing an imposing 244-run target, Travis Head (76 off 30) and Abhishek Sharma (45 off 24) shared 129 runs for the opening wicket to set the platform for SRH.
Klaasen (65 not out off 30 balls) then displayed his all-round hitting abilities to guide SRH home with the help of Nitish Kumar Reddy (21) and Salil Arora (30 not out off 10) in 18.4 overs.
Earlier, Rickelton's knock powered MI to 243 for five.
MI rode on a 93-run stand between Rickelton (123 not out off 55 balls) and Will Jacks (46 off 22) in 7.1 overs for the opening stand to power the side.
MI skipper Hardik Pandya scored a valuable 31 off 15 balls before being dismissed.
Praful Hinge (2/54), Eshan Malinga (1/29), Sakib Hasan (1/39) and Nitish Kumar Reddy (1/31) were the wicket-takers for SRH.
Brief Scores:
Mumbai Indian: 243 for 5 in 20 overs (Ryan Rickelton 123 not out; Praful Hinge 2/54).
Sunrisers Hyderabad: 249 for 4 in 18.4 overs (Travis Head 76, Heinrich Klaasen 65 not out; AM Ghazanfar 2/51).
