CHENNAI: Increasing seats of sports quota in government higher educational institutions is a matter of government policy decision, the Madras High Court said.

A division bench of Madras High Court comprising Chief Justice SV Gangapurwala and Justice P D Audikesavalu made this observation Disposing of a petition seeking direction to increase the seats.

A Public Interest Litigation filed by M Arthanari from Omalur, Salem, said there is no proper reservation or regularised reservation in higher studies like medicine, engineering, and other higher studies, for the several students who are taking sports as their career.

Further, the petitioner said some universities allotted seats under sports quota without any government guidelines. For instance, only 7 seats for MBBS, 5 seats for Veterinary science, and seven seats for law (5-year course). Even though the total number of seats in the courses is voluminously increased, the seat allotted to the sports quota

The PIL said there is no reservation in higher studies like medicine for students who are taking sports as their career

has not been increased, the petition read.

As a counter, the government pleader Muthukumar said that 3 per cent of the reservation is being given to the students under sports quota including arts and science, and engineering studies.