MBBS, BDS admissions: SC upholds HC order on micro-quota in Punjab’s private medical colleges

Source: hindustantimes.com

In a setback to the Punjab government, the Supreme Court on Tuesday upheld the Punjab and Haryana High Court’s decision on micro-reservation in private medical colleges in the state.

With this, the deadlock over the counselling for MBBS and BDS courses being conducted by the Baba Farid University of Health Sciences (BFUHS), Faridkot, came to an end, which was on hold for more than a month due to legal tangle.

The apex court held that the micro-reservation of 1% in MBBS and BDS courses for children/grandchildren of persons affected by terror and anti-Sikh riots will be applicable to the state quota as well as management quota in all private unaided non-minority medical/dental institutions, as was ruled by HC on July 26.

It, however, overturned the high court order to provide 3% sports quota in the government colleges. The apex court held that under sports quota in the government colleges, the reservation would be 1% as notified by the government, not 3% as ruled by HC.

It extended the date of counselling for admissions to MBBS and BDS courses to September 7. As the state will miss the August 31 deadline of the Medical Council of India (MCI) to complete the admissions process, an extension was sought by the state. The court also directed the state government to complete the admission process by September 7.

“The SC has held that sports quota will be 1%, while micro-quota to be as per the high court judgement. The matter will be heard after pleadings are completed,” said state government counsel Uttara Babbar.

On August 10, the state government filed a special leave petition in the SC challenging the high court’s July 26 judgment. On August 19, the SC stayed the high court order to provide 1% micro-reservation in all the private medical and dental colleges in the state.

BFUHS RESUMES COUNSELLING

With short time left to complete the admissions process, BFUHS announced fresh schedule for the first round of counselling for admission to MBBS and BDS courses.

After a delay of more than a month, the university will conduct the first round of counselling to fill over 2,400 MBBS and BDS seats in eight medical and 15 dental colleges. BFUHS on Tuesday opened the online portal for the candidates who applied under the terror/Sikh riots-affected categories for updating their choices or preferences in management quota of private colleges also.

The portal will be opened till 5pm on Wednesday. The results of the first online counselling will be announced on August 29 and selected candidates have to join colleges by August 31.

SECOND ROUND FROM SEPT 3

The university will hold the second round of counselling (wherein candidates to appear physically) from September 3 at Guru Gobind Singh Medical College, Faridkot. The BFUHS has also invited the NEET-qualified aspirants to submit their applications online till September 1 for All India quota reverted seats.

On September 7, the counselling would be held to fill all the vacant seats arising out of the second round due to shifting of candidates in different categories. “There is short time but we will complete the counselling process by September 7,” said BFUHS vice-chancellor Dr Rajbahadur.