IN THE HIGH COURT OF KERALA
MANJULA CHELLUR, V. CHITAMBARESH, JJ.
Vinod K.M. (Dr.) and Others - Appellants
Versus
State of Kerala and Others - Respondents
W.A. No. 315 of 2012 and W. P. (C) Nos. 4279, 6550, 8607 of 2012
Decided On : 02-05-2012
Constitution of India, 1950 - Articles. 14 - Education matter - Admission - Eligibility - Qualifying marks - Power of Government - Whether withdrawal of negative marking or concession or relaxation to service quota candidates so far as negative marks for P.G. Courses is violative of Art.14 ? Whether Government has power to modify or add to Prospectus, whether such action must be a reasonable one without any arbitrariness ? - Held, The regulations framed by the MCI under S.33 with the prior approval of the Central Government are statutory in nature. Medical students require intensive gruelling as doctors have to be competent enough when they come out of college and they are expected to be perfect in the science of treatment of human beings as the country does not want half baked medical professionals coming out of medical colleges. To secure 50% minimum qualifying marks, Common Entrance Examination is prescribed. It is also well settled that Common Entrance Examination cannot be discarded. The purpose of having Common Entrance Test is to ascertain the intellectual quotient of the students to withstand the gruelling of students at post graduate level. The entrance test is only one level below the actual medical training. If negative mark was to assess the capability of candidates, if standard of excellence is to be maintained, one has to again look into the capabilities of candidates who have to be given medical training at post graduate level - The merit in the rank list is to allot more creamy and coveted disciplines to more meritorious candidates. This merit of the candidate is to be ascertained by his performance in the Common Entrance Test. Though Apex Court has no doubt said that lowering of qualifying marks without big disparity is permissible provided expert body like MCI approves, there is no regulation, rule, provision which indicates that there can be different approach to ascertain the ability of the candidates. Withdrawal of negative marking to one group of candidates is nothing but discrimination against another group of candidates - Government has power to modify or add to the Prospectus, such action must be a reasonable one without any arbitrariness and it should not suffer from discrimination. As already stated above, though the Prospectus was issued somewhere in December, 2011, till a day before the examination there was no move on the part of the Government to withdraw negative marking for in-service candidates. Everyone concerned must have been taken aback with such sudden decision including some of the in-service quota candidates. Anything sans reasonableness and statutory force cannot be approved. Therefore, the Clause XIX empowers withdrawal cannot be accepted - Writ Petitions and the appeal stand allowed
MANJULA CHELLUR, J.
1. WA 315/2012 is filed challenging an order dated 22/02/2012 refusing an interim relief in WP No. 4279/2012, by the learned Single Judge.
2. The Writ Petition came to be filed by the petitioner challenging Ext. P3 an order issued by the State Government, alleging the same as contrary to the stipulation contained in Clause 9 of Ext. P1 Prospectus. The appellant appeared for Common Entrance Examination for admission to Post-Graduate Medical Course in the State. In Ext. P3, the State Government had given concession or relaxation to service quota candidates so far as negative marks, hence it is contended that Ext. P3 is in violation of Article 14 of the Constitution of India and sought for quashing the same. As the learned Single Judge refused interim relief of staying the operation of Ext. P3, appellant filed this appeal. All are required to appear for Common Entrance Examination and only those candidates securing minimum of 50 marks at the examination would be eligible for admission process. This condition was stipulated and implemented at the instance of the 4th Respondent Medical Council of India (for short 'MCI'). As Ext. P3 has no prior approval of the 4th respondent, the withdrawal of negative marking for in-service candidates is contended, against the regulations prescribed by the MCI. According to the petitioner it is nothing but a move to facilitate certain candidates in service to secure Post-Graduation Seats. Therefore, the action in issuing Ext. P3 is highly motivated and the move is nothing but a mala fide one. There is no provision for bifurcation of allotment of seats between service quota candidates and non-service quota candidates so far as the 4th Respondent is concerned. On the face of it Ext. P3 has no nexus with the object of the selection process as there is no basis for granting such relaxation, is the contention of the petitioner. At no point of time such relaxation was conceived by this Court. It is nothing but abuse of power by the 1st Respondent State and cannot be a policy which could have positive results is the stand of the petitioner. If Ext. P3 is given effect to, it would lead to two categories of candidates, one who gets admission with negative marks with rules applicable and the other who gets admission without negative marks. With these averments, he seeks for the following reliefs:
(i) To issue a writ, order or direction setting aside/quashing Ext. P3 order as arbitrary, unreasonable and illegal and hence violative of Article 14 of the Constitution of India.
(ii) To grant such other reliefs including interim reliefs as may be found just, necessary and reasonable in the facts and circumstances of the case.
(iii) To direct the respondents to pay the petitioner the entire costs of the proceedings.
3. So far as WP (C) 8607/2012 is concerned the petitioner applied for P.G. course under general merit quota. He even attended the entrance examination on 19/02/2012. He could not secure minimum eligibility marks of 50% out of 1200 marks. Exts. P3 and P4 have resulted in special privilege to service quota candidates. This also has an impact on the other service quota candidates because the candidates who could not have secured eligible marks with negative marking have secured eligible marks, thereby obstructs service quota candidates who are more meritorious to secure a seat. It is nothing but a discriminatory approach on the part of the 1st Respondent State. Therefore, they challenge the same as gross violation of Article 14 of the Constitution of India. If only negative marking was not applicable to the petitioner, he would have become eligible for the Post-Graduation course as he secured 476.3514 out of 1200 marks. There cannot be any different method in the matter of deducting negative marks so far as service quota candidates and non-service quota candidates. The service quota candidates are not separate class for that purpose as different from open quota candidate. If any pr
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