New Delhi: The Supreme Court today (May 7 2004) fixed all India quota for Post Graduate Medical seats in all colleges at 25 per cent for the academic year 2004-05 and asked the authorities to complete the admission process within the prescribed time schedule.

Disposing of an application seeking clarification on the Supreme Court judgement fixing the all India quota at 50 per cent of the available seats, a five-judge constitution Bench headed by Justice R C Lahoti said the earlier practice of 25 per cent quota would be maintained this year.

However, the apex Court's judgement fixing the all India quota at 50 per cent would come into force from the next academic session, it said.

Meanwhile, another Bench of the Supreme Court comprising Justice Lahoti and Justice G P Mathur directed the Tamil Nadu Government to increase the number of seats in the engineering, medical and other professional colleges to ensure admissions to meritorious students who faced difficulty in getting into these colleges due to the whopping 69 per cent reservation for students belonging to SC, ST and OBC category.

This order was passed on an application filed by NGO -VOICE Consumer Care Council, whose petition challenging the State legislation enhancing the reservation limit to 69 per cent of the seats is still pending for consideration before a constitution Bench of the Court.