2009 Supreme(Raj) 2240
RAJASTHAN HIGH COURT AT JAIPUR BENCH
Ajay Rastogi, Raghuvendra S.Rathore, JJ.
Director, Gitanjali Medical Collage - Appellant
Versus
State and Ors. - Respondent
Special Appeal No. 257/2009 in Civil Writ Petition No. 10946 of 2008.
Decided On : 3-09-2009
For the Appellant:Mr. Uday U. Lalit & Mr. S.M.Mehta, Sr. Advocates with Ms Naina Saraf, Sarva Shri Sri Ram Yadav, Banwari Sharma; & Mr. Ashok Gaur, Advocates.
For the State:Mr. SN Kumawat, Addl. Advocate General.
For the University of Health Science:Mr. NK Joshi, & Mr. RA Katta, Advocates.
For the Respondent MCI:Mr. Angad Mirdha, Advocate.
For the Respondent:Mr. Rajendra Soni and Mr. PC. Sharma, Advocates.
Headnote:Constitution of India, Art. 14 and 226 – It was held that admissions in the M.B.B.S course cannot be made on the basis of 10+2 marks as the same is illegal – such criteria is in violation of SC judgment and Medical Council of India regulation 1997 – selection can only be made either from R.P.T.M. or through competitive exams – thus selection on the basis of 10+2 marks was held to invalid and illegal.
JUDGMENT
1. :- Since all these special appeals arise out of common order dated 18/03/2009 passed by learned Single Judge in CWP- 10858/2008 whereby admissions in MBBS course for academic year 2008-09 against 85% of intake 150 seats were declared illegal, hence at joint request, were heard together and are being disposed of at admission stage.
2. Core issue raised before learned Single Judge for consideration was as to whether admission in MBBS course for academic session 2008-09 in a private unaided professional medical college made on the basis of qualifying examination(10+2) is permissible and what will be the effect of Reg.4.2(2) of Medical Council of India Regulations on Medical Education, 1997 ("MCI Regulation"), which clearly specifies that in a State where there are more than one University/Board/ examining body conducting examination (or where there is more than one medical college) for qualifying examination (10+2), competitive/common Entrance Test (CET) should be held to achieve a uniform evaluation as there may be variation of standards at qualifying (10+2) examination conducted by different education agencies; and how far, admissions to MBBS course in present private unaided professional institution (Gitanjali Medical College) made on the basis of qualifying marks in 10+2 examination, are justified ?
3. Before adverting to the core issue, it would be appropriate to narrate bare relevant facts for consideration of rival contentions made at the bar. Appellant- Gitanjali Medical College & Hospital is a private unaided institution, applied for grant of permission for teaching MBBS course through medical council of India ("MCI") which recommended vide letter dated 02/06/08 to the Ministry of Health, Government of India but the Ministry after examining infra structure facilities available at the appellant institution denied permission vide letter dated 04/08/08. Denial of permission was challenged by appellant institution by approaching the Apex Court in Writ Petition (Civil) NO.357/08 which was disposed of along with other Writ-Pet(Civil)-294/2008 (Rohilkhand Educational Charitable Trust v. Union of India), vide order dated 03/09/08, in view of statement recorded of Addl. Solicitor General that revised orders would be passed within a week in respect of Gitanjali Medical College. Accordingly, Government of India issued letter dated 16/09/08 sent by speed post, conveying approval of Central Government for establishment of new medical college at Udaipur Rajasthan by Geetanjali Foundation (appellant-institution) with an annual intake of 150 students with prospective effect from academic year 2008-09 Under section 10(A) of IMC Act, 1956, initially for a period of one year renewable on yearly basis upon verification of achievement of annual targets, which as alleged, according to appellant institution, was received in its office on 25/09/08.
4. Against intake of 150 students for admission in MBBS Course, 15% were made available for NRI-management quota while 85% were available for open selection; and accordingly other than NRI quota, 16 students were admitted by appellant institution in MBBS course from a list prepared on the basis of Private Colleges Pre-Medical Test, 2008 ("PC-PMT-2008) held for BDS Dental Colleges of Rajasthan by Federation of Private Medical and Dental Colleges of Rajasthan-"Federation" which is a body registered under Registration of Societies Act for conducting PC-PMT through Mohanlal Sukhadia University, Udaipur. Further 101 students were admitted by appellant institution based on qualifying marks secured in 10+2 examination through its own advertisement dated 29/09/08; and admissions thereto were made of such students who participated in its counselling. In all 140 students (including 23 against NRI-management quota & 16 through list of PC-PMT-2008 of Federation were admitted and remaining 10 seats were kept vacant because of interim directions issued by learned Single Judge, keeping seats pending for
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