New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Thursday cleared the all-India postgraduate medical entrance test conducted by the All-India Institute of Medical Sciences and directed that counselling begin on April 21 for all courses.

A Bench consisting of Justices K.G. Balakrishnan and P.P. Naolekar cleared the decks for counselling after perusing a CBI report, which said allegations of unfair means were restricted to Chennai examination centres and that there was no such evidence at other places. The Bench was hearing a petition filed by 12 successful candidates for a direction to the Government not to cancel the results of the January 8 test. On April 3, it directed the CBI to file the status report on the progress of investigation.

Appearing for the Centre, Additional-Solicitor General Gopal Subramaniam said the CBI found that only 20 students in Chennai adopted unfair means, and they would be disqualified and other punitive steps taken. In the light of this report, the government decision to cancel the test in its entirety should be reviewed.

As for the slots occupied by these 20 students, he said the candidates immediately below in the order of merit would occupy the positions falling vacant. The merit list would be rearranged accordingly.

The CBI would continue its investigation and if malpractice by any particular candidate was detected, he would be disqualified. This condition would apply to all students.

No malpractice

As for admissions to the Medical Dental Surgery course, Mr. Subramaniam said no malpractice was detected at the entrance test. Counselling could begin on April 25.

Counsel for the Medical Council of India Maninder Singh said counselling would have to be completed by May. He suggested that the process begin on April 21. Meanwhile the MCI would submit a schedule to the court on April 17.

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