The Hindu : Front Page : Stay on MBBS counselling vacated

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Wednesday, Jul 11, 2007
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Stay on MBBS counselling vacated

Special Correspondent

Those pursuing other professional courses barred
Also those who discontinued a professional course

CHENNAI: The Madras High Court on Tuesday vacated the stay on counselling for medical and dental course admissions, after the State Government agreed to restore the rules of previous years, as per which students admitted to any other professional course were barred from applying for MBBS/BDS courses.

Admissions to medical and dental courses for the current academic year will now be governed by Clause 6(ii) of the prospectus, which disqualifies candidates “presently undergoing” any of the professional courses such as BDS, Engineering, Law, Agriculture, Veterinary, etc., and those who had discontinued any of these professional courses “leading to a waste of seat,” from seeking admission to medical and dental courses.

The First Bench, passing orders on a batch of public interest litigation petitions, said: “Students, who have already applied for and got admission to a professional course in the previous academic year, cannot be allowed to compete for admission to MBBS/BDS courses for …2007-08.”

The Bench, comprising Chief Justice A.P. Shah and Justice P Jyothimani, said that during counselling, the Selection Committee should follow rules and ascertain whether the applicant had already joined a professional course or whether he/she is eligible to apply for MBBS/BDS by virtue of Clause 6(ii) of prospectus for previous years.

The Bench orally clarified that two conditions shall be complied with during counselling: One, verification of whether a student had already got admission to any other professional course; two, if such candidates had discontinued the courses, their seats did not go waste. The Judges further added that it was for the student concerned to convince the Selection Committee about their status.

In their order, the Judges said that in the event of a student, who had discontinued his/her old courses and even collected their Transfer Certificates, is held to be ineligible, he/she should be allowed to continue in their respective courses. By discontinuing their professional courses, the students concerned not only wasted their own academic career, but also caused a huge loss to society ultimately.

Earlier, Mr. Justice Shah said the “strange” change in admission norms this year, wherein students undergoing other professional courses became eligible to apply for MBBS/BDS admissions, might be intentional.

Advocate-General R. Viduthalai said there was no motive behind the move to give them an opportunity to get admission to medical and dental courses.

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