Opposing a bunch of petitions challenging the state’s rules for the ongoing 2018 MBBS admissions, the state Directorate of Medical Education and Research filed an affidavit before the Bombay high court
Its information brochure for 2018 says medical aspirants must be domiciled in the state, and have passed both Class X and XII examinations from within Maharashtra to qualify for MBBS seats under the state quota.
The state said the order of the HC bench in Nagpur on June 15, exempting students who have completed SSC or equivalent outside Maharashtra, was the result of a “concession” made by the state’s lawyers, who said the state was “not opposing the petitions challenging the rules”. Dr Pravin Shingare, DMER chief, said the state’s lawyer in Nagpur was not authorised by the department to make such a submission and the state was “in the process of challenging the order” that had already led to 31 students getting admission.
The state has issued a notice on July 17, saying the selection of the 31 – 14 in government colleges and 11 in private – would be “subject to the final order of the Bombay HC”.
The HC bench of Justices S C Dharmadhikari and Bharati Dangre, hearing the petitions transferred from Aurangabad and Nagpur benches, rapped the state government for the uncertainty students face. “We don’t wish to see this situation again and again…We do not want meritorious students to suffer,” said the bench.
When the matter came up for hearing on Tuesday, Vijay Thorat , counsel for the students who have completed their standard XII outside Maharashtra but are seeking admission here, cited judgments to argue that where a student has completed his standard X or XII is immaterial to his status as a local student.
Pradnya Talekar, another counsel for the students, argued that those who completed their standard X elsewhere cannot be denied MBBS admissions if all the other conditions are satisfied. The arguments will continue on Wednesday.
