1. These are two Writ Petitions and two petitioners, both claiming the one seat available for admission to the Post Graduate Course in Dentistry, leading to the Degree of Master of Dental Science (M.D.S.). Dr. Sajish Kuriakose (Dr. Sajish for short) is the petitioner in OP No. 5819 of 1987 and Dr. Varghess the petitioner in O.P. No. 5772 of 1987.

2. The Prospectus for admission to the Post Graduate Courses in the Dental College attached to the Medical College, Trivandrum. was published in the Kerala Gazette on 17th March 1987. Nineteen seats were available to six specialities in the Dental College. On 20-4-1987, the Commissioner for Government Examinations invited applications for admission to all the courses. Both the petitioners applied for admission to the M.D.S. course in Oral and Maxilla facial Surgery within the prescribed time, the last date for receipt of applications being 16th May, 1987. Admission to the course was on the basis of an entrance examination. Both the petitioners sat for the entrance test and Dr. Varghese obtained the first rank and Dr. Sajish, the third. Dr. Varghese was a Graduate in Dental Surgery (B.D.S.) from the Annamalai University in Tamiln