JUDGMENT

1. In the hierarchy of qualifications which may be attained by medical professionals in this country, following obtaining of an MBBS qualification, a candidate could aspire to attain an MD/MS qualification, depending on whether he belongs to the non-surgical or surgical discipline and, thereafter, could proceed to attain a DM/M.Ch, or, alternatively, an FNB qualification, which stands for "Fellow of National Board". The FNB programme is run by the National Board of Examination, and entrance into the programme is dependent on clearance of a test known as the "NBE Fellowship Entrance Test" (NBE FET).

2. Under the said scheme - if one may call it that - qualification in the NBE FET is followed by counselling. The guidelines relating to counselling, consequent to clearance in the NBE FET, are contained in the NBE FET Handbook for Centralized Counselling for Admission to the Fellowship Programme. The said Handbook, as issued for the academic session 2018 - with which the present writ petition is concerned - contained the following relevant clauses:

"1. ELIGIBILITY FOR COUNSELING:

1.1 Candidates who have qualified the NBE Fellowship Entrance Test (NBE FET) conducted by NBE o