SC stays admission to four medical colleges in Kerala; spot allotment called off

Supreme court file pti Representational image | PTI

The Supreme Court has issued a stay on admissions to the MBBS course at four self-financing medical colleges in Kerala.

A bench headed by Justice Arun Mishra ruled that the High Court order allowing admissions to these colleges could not be justified. The apex court also made it clear that the admission of the students who gained seats in these colleges could be cancelled.

The Supreme Court was considering a plea by the Medical Council of India against an order of the Kerala High Court which allowed admissions to Al Azhar Medical College, Thodupuzha; Wayanad D M Medical College; P K Das Medical College, Palakkad and S R Medical College, Varkala.

The college managements and the state government informed the Supreme Court that the admission procedures were almost completed, but the court did not accept their view.

The bench, meanwhile, considered the argument of the medical council that it had denied permission for MBBS admissions because the colleges had not met the necessary guidelines. The council urged the apex court to quash the order of the Kerala High Court. When the managements pointed out that several students were already admitted at the spot counseling, the court’s response was that they may have to abandon their seats.

Justice Arun Mishra also posted the case for detailed hearing on Thursday. The High Court had allowed filling up of 550 seats.

With the Supreme Court intervening in the case, the spot admission in Kerala, which took place on Tuesday and Wednesday, was called off. It has also landed the admissions to the 550 seats in uncertainty.

Till the final order is issued by the apex court, admissions to these seats will have no legal validity. The development has also made the status of the students already admitted to MBBS and BDS seats through spot admission uncertain.

According to the entrance commissioner, necessary measures would be taken up after the Supreme Court order.

A new notification will be issued before the next round of admissions, according to him. With a deadline of September 10 to complete the admission process, a suitable date will be fixed for the spot admission.

Thiruvananthapuram Medical College, the venue of the spot admission, had witnessed the arrival of around 20,000 candidates along with their parents for the filling up of 1,100 seats.