SUPREME COURT OF INDIA
S. Ratnavel Pandian, S.C. Agrawal, S. Mohan, B.P. Jeevan Reddy and S.P. Bharucha, JJ.
Writ Petition (C) Nos. 284, 317, 327, 343, 350, 355, 392, 407, 417, 442, 444, 463, 469, 474, 482, 484,485,523,525,536,555,585,596,597,598,613,626, 628, 627, 660, 663 and 702 of 1993, I.A. Nos. 2 and 3 in SLP (C) No. 14437 of 1993, W.P. (C) Nos. 399, 531, 571,603 and 629, I.A.
Nos. 3,4-8 of 1993 in C.A. 927 of 1993
Decided On: 07.10.1993
T.M.A. Pai Foundation and Ors. Appellants
Vs.
State of Kamataka and Ors. Respondent
Karnataka Act – Constitution of India - Article 144 - Managements of private professional colleges – Admission - Free seats and Payment seats - States and private parties to tell us the way in which present impasse can be resolved - We pointed out to counsel that refusal of managements of private professional colleges or, for that matter, their demand that they should be permitted to admit 50% of students of their own choice cannot be and shall not be conceded - We made it clear that in case of failure of parties to find a reasonable way out, this Court would be obliged to adopt coercive measures to enforce its judgment in Unnikrishnan, J.P. v. State of A.P., AIR1993 SC 2178, JT1993 (1)SC 474,1992 (2)SCALE703 ,(1993)1 SCC645 , [1993]1 SCR594 and other orders in that behalf - Learned Solicitor General appearing for Union of India submitted that in pursuance of judgment in Unnikrishnan Central Government, Medical Council of India, All India Council for Technical Education and other similar bodies have promptly initiated exercise for determining fee structure - He placed before us the proceedings of the meeting of the sub-committee of the Medical Council of India held on April 12, 1993 and affidavit filed on behalf of All India Council for Technical Education (AICTE) - Held, Instead of performing its constitutional duty of implementing the judgment and directions of this Court in Unnikrishnan and subsequent orders -- which are indeed inspired by the Karnataka Act banning capitation fee among other enactments – the Seeking of a fresh direction to the managements to admit students allotted by it is difficult to appreciate - It goes without saying that managements of private professional colleges are bound to admit students allotted by Government as per decision of this Court in Unnikrishnan and subsequent orders in that behalf including those issued herein - So far as Kerala is concerned, there are only two private engineering colleges in respect of which we propose to make orders separately inasmuch as we could not hear counsel for petitioners on these two days – Order accordingly.
ORDER
1. These matters were posted before us on October 4 and 5, 1993 for orders with respect to the fee structure in private professional colleges and for other appropriate orders. We have heard the learned Solicitor General for the Union of India, the learned Advocate General for Karnataka and counsel for other States. In view of the non-admission of students to the private professional colleges even by now (first week of October) we called upon the counsel for the Union, the States and the private parties to tell us the way in which the present impasse can be resolved. We pointed out to the counsel that the refusal of the managements of the private professional colleges or, for that matter, their demand that they should be permitted to admit 50% of the students of their own choice cannot be and shall not be conceded. We made it clear that in case of failure of the parties to find a reasonable way out, this Court would be obliged to adopt coercive measures to enforce its judgment in Unnikrishnan, J.P. v. State of A.P., AIR1993 SC 2178, JT1993 (1)SC 474,1992 (2)SCALE703 ,(1993)1 SCC645 , [1993]1 SCR594 and other orders in that behalf.
2. The learned Solicitor General appearing for the Union of India submitted that in pursuance of the judgment in Unnikrishnan the Central Government, Medical Council of India, All India Council for Technical Education and other similar bodies have promptly initiated the exercise for determining the fee structure. He placed before us the proceedings of the meeting of the sub-committee of the Medical Council of India held on April 12, 1993 and the affidavit filed on behalf of the All India Council for Technical Education (AICTE). The operative portion of the minutes ofthe sub-committee of the IMC reads thus:
"Keeping all the factors into mind, the Committee recommended that the following fee structure may be considered:
Rs. 80,000 to Rs. 1,00,000 per year per student -- Indian student joining the institutions having their own hospitals.
Rs. 60,000 to Rs. 80,000 from the students joining the institutions utilising the facilities of both Government as well as their own hospitals.
Rs. 40,000 to Rs. 60,000 from the students joining the institutions utilising the facilities completely as provided by Government hospitals. Fee to be charged from non-resident Indians is $50,000 for the whole course."
3. So far as the engineering colleges are concerned, the learned Solicitor General pointed out that though the AICTE has not taken any decision so far, it will, soon enough, issue regulations prescribing a reasonable and non-disparate fee structure for different States, effective from the academic year 1994-95. He pointed out that while the fee fixed for payment seats is Rs. 37,000 in Madhya Pradesh, it is Rs. 20,000 in Karnataka and that in other States a figure in between these two figures has been specified for payment seats. He submitted that for this year, this Court may fix a tentative fee to be adjusted in accordance with the final fixation by the Central Government and/or the appropriate council/authority. The learned Solicitor General assured us that the Central Government is fully committed to the full implementation of the judgment in Unnikrishnan and that any steps taken by this Court for implementation of the said judgment will have the unconditional support of the Union of India.
4. The learned Advocate General of Karnataka submitted that the Karnataka Government has taken prompt steps for implementing the judgment of this Court in Unnikrishnan that the lists of free seats have already been published though lists of payment scats could not yet be communicated for want of certain relevant particulars. He stated that the State Government has also revised the fee structure pursuant to this Courts order dated August 18, 1993, Shahal H. Musaliar v. Stale of Kerala, (1993) 4 SCC 112. He brought to our notice the present stand of the managements that unless they are permitted to admit 50% of the studen
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