( 1. ) BOTH these writ petitions challenge the vires of clauses (e) and (I) of Rule 8 of the Revised Rules for selection of candidates for appointment as House officers in the Medical Colleges which came into force with effect from 1-1-1984 and as such, are being decided by a common order.

( 2. ) THE petitioners of these two writ petitions, after passing their M. B. B. S. Examination and completing the internship, applied for appointment as House Officers, in the Mahatma Gandhi Memorial Medical College, Indore, which has been denied to them. In order to appreciate the submissions made by learned counsel for the parties in regard to the validity of sub-rules. (e) and (f) of Rule 8 aforesaid, (hereinafter referred to as the Rules), it is necessary to quote the relevant provisions of the said Rules at this stage. A copy of the Rules has been attached as Annexure R-4 to the return filed on behalf of the respondents. Rule 6 reads as under :

"selection shall be made once in a year strictly on the basis of merit The polled merit list of all batches of candidates who have completed, or shall complete internship in the same calendar year, would be prepared by Dean concerned and noti