Medical and dental courses in the country will have a 27 per cent reservation for Other Backward Classes (OBCs). 10 per cent reservation will be for Economically Weaker Sections (EWS) under the All India Quota Scheme for undergraduate & postgraduate programmes, Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced on July 29. This will apply to courses like MBBS, MD, MS, BDS, MDS and diploma medical programmes from this academic year. Around 5,550 seats will be reserved in all for the communities as per this order. Decision is also being seen in the context of next year's Uttar Pradesh elections where caste and communal allegiances play a big role. As per a statement issued by the health ministry, PM Modi had directed the union ministries concerned to "facilitate an effective solution to this long-pending issue" at a meeting held on July 26. On July 28, a group of BJP MPs from the OBC community also met the Prime Minister on the same issue. OBC students from across the country shall now be able to take the benefit of this reservation in the AIQ scheme to compete for seats in any state. Central list of OBCs shall be used for this reservation as it is a central scheme.