The Supreme Court has refused to extend the deadline for filling up vacant seats in medical super-speciality, post-graduate and MBBS courses.
A Bench led by Chief Justice of India Dipak Misra refused to extend the September 14 time limit, especially in the case of super-speciality courses.
In a four-page order on September 22, the Bench referred to the apprehensions raised in the various pleas that many seats remained vacant and there was a need to extend the date for admissions.
But the court dismissed the pleas, saying the concern voiced in them “travels from rational sphere to emotional sphere.” It acknowledged the Medical Council of India’s (MCI) stand that discipline was essential in academic admission matters and any extension would result in chaos. Ineligible students would benefit from such confusion, leaving the worthy ones in dire straits.
“We are of the convinced opinion that an extension at this juncture would not be appropriate. A sense of concern is one thing, but sustenance of discipline and order is another aspect. Weighing both the concepts in a balanced manner, we unhesitatingly come to the conclusion that the prayers made in the interlocutory applications do not deserve any acceptance and, accordingly, they stand rejected.”
Centre backed move
The court’s refusal came despite the Centre favouring an extension. But MCI, through advocate Gaurav Sharma, vehemently opposed the government’s position. “Once this court has extended the time limit till September 14, 2017, and the candidates did not avail the facilities. It will be an anathema to the concept of law to grant extension at the behest of the institutions or the students,” Mr. Sharma said.
Among the applications was one by 23 doctors from various parts of the country seeking an extended round of counselling for the candidates who had qualified in the NEET-SS examination to fill up vacant seats available in government and private medical colleges. NEET-SS is an eligibility-cum-ranking examination prescribed as the single entrance examination to various DM/M.Ch. courses under the Indian Medical Council (Amendment) Act, 2016.
The petitioners, led by Chennai-based doctor T.T. Senthilnathan, had contended that over 25% of the seats in super speciality DM/ M.Ch. Courses remained unfilled even after two rounds of counselling.
