The indefinite hunger strike of doctors and medical students against the government's proposal to reserve 27 per cent of seats in educational institutions for Other Backward Classes entered its ninth day on Monday.

But the protestors have scaled down their demands.

"We are now demanding that the proposal for OBC quotas not be implemented unless the expert committee submits its review report on the existing reservation policy," student leader Amitasha Sinha, whose Youth for Equality group had insisted on a complete withdrawal of the reservation proposals, told PTI.

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The striking medicos are also expected to meet Union Health Secretary P C Hota later in the day for a second meeting with him in as many days.

The protesting students have already turned down Prime Minister Manmohan Singh's [Images] appeal to call off their strike.

A new batch of medical students replaced their colleagues who had been on the hunger strike at AIIMS for eight days.

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Striking senior resident doctors remained defiant to notices to vacate the hostels, saying they would continue with their agitation till their demands were met.

Junior doctors of medical colleges and hospitals also continued their strike that has paralysed health services in New Delhi.

After the meeting with the Health Secretary on Sunday, student leaders said the government has not offered anything new to resolve the issue except for increasing the number of general seats in educational institutions.