The Maharashtra government is mulling solutions, including issuing an ordinance, to solve the problem relating to Maratha students' admissions to post graduation medical courses against the backdrop of a court ruling on 16 per cent quota for the community, Minister Girish Mahajan said on may 13.

The Nagpur bench of the Bombay High Court had, earlier this month, said 16 per cent reservation given to the Maratha community by the state under the Socially and Economically Backward Classes (SEBC) category will not be applicable to admissions to the post-graduate (PG) medical and dental courses courses this year.

The state government had later approached the Supreme Court, which upheld the verdict of the High Court. Mahajan said the state government was unable to do anything at the moment since the model code of conduct for the Lok Sabha polls was in force (since March 10), adding that Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis was consulting experts on the issue.

Around 250 students, who had got admission to post- graduate medical courses under the SEBC quota, are currently protesting on the issue at Azad Maidan. "We cannot defy the Supreme Court order...we are trying to figure out ways to solve the issue, whether we can issue ordinance, what help we can give...the model code of conduct is in force, that issue is there," Mahajan said.

Mahajan made the remarks after NCP leader Ajit Pawar called on him following the latter's meeting with protesting students. Asked about it, Pawar said he has asked the government to ensure the future of the students is not jeopardised. "We have asked for permanent solution to the problem," the former deputy CM said.