New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Wednesday took suo motu cognisance to examine whether individuals born to upper-caste, affluent families can convert to another religion solely to claim minority status and become eligible for admission to minority educational institutions.
The issue arose from a case involving a brother-sister doctor duo who cleared NEET-PG and sought admission to a medical institute in Uttar Pradesh that claims minority status as a Buddhist institution—a status currently under challenge.
Appearing before a bench comprising Chief Justice of India Surya Kant and Justice Joymalya Bagchi, counsel for the siblings argued that the Uttar Pradesh government’s refusal to grant minority status to the institution was obstructing their admissions.
During the hearing, the bench noted that the siblings hail from the affluent Satrod Kalan village in Haryana’s Hisar district. On examining their NEET-PG application forms, the court found that both had applied under the general category but obtained minority certificates last year from the sub-divisional officer (SDO) in Hisar after allegedly converting to Buddhism.
Expressing serious doubts over the issuance of the minority certificates, the bench directed the Haryana chief secretary to conduct an inquiry into the process followed by the SDO. The court also dismissed the siblings’ plea.
