The court held that candidates who fail to apply by the stipulated deadline for BSc Nursing admissions cannot claim benefits from relaxations based on earlier judgments, emphasizing the finality of set deadlines.

JUDGMENT :

MRUGANKA SEKHAR SAHOO, J.

1. We have heard learned counsel appearing for the petitioners in all the writ applications at length.

2. As far as the facts are concerned they are identical and we sum up: advertisement was for centralized counselling and admission to BSc. Nursing, issued by the Directorate of Medical Education & Training, Odisha-opposite party no.2 on 18.05.2024; the last date of the admission was 30.11.2024.

3. Socially and Educationally Backward Classes (SEBC) candidates approached this Court seeking relaxation in the qualifying mark obtained in the common entrance examination, counselling being done by the Nursing Counseling and Admission Committee (O.P.No.2). A coordinate Bench by judgment dated 26.11.2024 in W.P. (C) No.25371 of 2024 allowed the applications. It is noticeable from the said judgment that the last date for admission to the course B.Sc. Nursing and the last date of application seeking admission were not extended. As directed in the said judgment dated 26.11.2024, the opposite party no.2 made advertisement in the official website and the admission closed by the last date as prescribed by judicial pronouncements and also in the advertisement. The last date was earlier extended from 31^st October, 2024 to 30th November, 2024.

4. The students who are the petitioners in the present batch of writ applications concededly were not applicants pursuant to the advertisement dated 18.05.2024 for admission. Some of the candidate-students approached this Court by filing W.P. (C) No.1993 of 2025 filed on 17.01.2025 which was disposed of by common order dated 19.03.2025 as sought for by the petitioners i.e. the representation of the students to be disposed of by the authority. The ‘representations were made’ seeking admission for the year 2024-25, the last date being 30.11.2024. After rejection of the representation(s) the petitioners are again before this Court by filing the present writ application (s).

5. Petitioners seek direction to be granted the benefit of the judgment dated 24.11.2024 passed in W.P.(C) No.25371 of 2024 by the coordinate Bench, the directions being as indicated herein:

“9. Upon reading of the aforesaid statutory provisions, we are of the view that the SEBCs in the State of Odisha are entitled to such relaxation as is to be provided to OBCs in the guidelines issued by the Indian Nursing Council.

10. This writ application is accordingly disposed of with a direction to the DMET to consider the candidature of these petitioners as OBC candidates for the purpose of fresh admission to B.Sc. Nursing Course, if they furnish relevant certificates in that regard.”

6. To comply with the direction contained in the judgment dated 24.11.2024 passed in W.P.(C) No.25371 of 2024 the Director, Medical Education and Training being the Chairman State Nursing Selection Committee had issued notification dated 27.11.2024 which notified thus:

“OFFICE OF THE CHAIRMAN-STATE NURSING SELECTION COMMITTEE, ODISHA

E-mail-convenernursing1@gmail.com

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No.907/SNSC-03/2024

BBSR, Dt.27.11.2024

NOTICE

In obedience to Order No.5 dated 26.11.2024 passed by Hon’ble Orissa High Court, Cuttack in W.P.(C) No.25371 of 2024, in partial modification of the Notice No.726/ dated 01.08.2024 it is for the general information that the candidates who appeared in the entrance examination for admission to the Basic B.Sc. Nursing Course for the academic session 2024-25 and belong to the OBC/SEBC (except creamy layer) category, but applied under the General category and obtained the mark from 40^th percentile to 50^th percentile are declared as qualified in relaxation as per the terms and conditions prescribed by the