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SC refuses more time for filling seats in medical courses

Last Updated 23 September 2017, 20:19 IST

The Supreme Court dismissed a batch of pleas for extending the time for admission to super-specialty courses in private medical colleges and deemed universities across the
country.

Relying on the principle of “sustenance of discipline”, the court agreed to the Medical Council of India’s view that it would lead to chaos and benefit non-deserving candidates, though the Union government wanted the seats to be filled by granting more time.

A number of applications filed on behalf of various colleges sought the apex court’s permission to extend the time as about 50% seats in super-speciality courses and a larger number in other courses were still lying vacant.

They sought permission to fill the seats from a list of selected candidates.

The top court had on September 4 extended the time for admission to super-specialty courses till September 14. The request was then made to extend time with regard to post-graduate courses and MBBS, too. On Friday, senior advocate Kapil Sibal, advocate Gopal Sankaranarayanan and others submitted before a bench presided over by Chief Justice Dipak Misra that the seats going vacant would hit the institutes and deemed universities hard financially.

They a made fresh bid for seeking more time.

However, the bench, also comprising Justices A M Khanwilkar and D Y Chandrachud, said, “Having bestowed our careful and studied consideration with regard to the submissions advanced at the bar, we are of the convinced opinion and an extension at this juncture would not be appropriate.”

“A sense of concern is one thing, but sustenance of discipline and order is another aspect. Weighing both the concepts in a balanced manner, we unhesitatingly come to the conclusion that the prayers made in the interlocutory applications do not deserve any acceptance and, accordingly, they stand rejected,” the bench added.

The MCI, represented by advocate Gaurav Sharma, vehemently opposed any further relaxation of time. “This court has extended the time and fixed the time limit till 14th September, 2017 and the candidates did not avail the facilities. It will be an anathema to the concept of law to grant extension at the behest of the institutions or the students,” he said.

“Grant of extension of time has the potentiality to usher in a state of chaos and the result may be that the students who are not eligible or have defaulted, would gain the benefit,” he said.

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(Published 23 September 2017, 20:19 IST)

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