Students with good ranks paying hefty fees in pvt medical colleges is 'unfortunate': SC

Supreme Court. Photo: File Image

New Delhi: It is unfortunate that even those students who secure good ranks are forced to study in private medical colleges by paying hefty fees due to a specific regulation stipulated by the Medical Counselling Committee (MCC), the Supreme Court has observed.

The apex court was considering the petitions moved by two Kerala-based students challenging the MCC regulation that those who secure admission in the first two rounds of allotment itself cannot participate in the Mop-up counselling during the UG Medical admission.

The court, which issued notices to the MCC and the National Medical Commission (NMC) on the petitions, scheduled the next hearing in the case for February 13.

Presently, if a student gets admission only to a private institution, they have to continue studying there. Even if government seats are available in the Mop-up round, they can’t avail of the college/course transfer. This will pave the way for students with lower ranks than these candidates securing government seats. Kozhikode native Sainab Salim and Kottayam native Gouri Nandana pointed out this ‘anomaly’ in their petitions.

While the court expressed its sympathy with the petitioner on the issue, it pointed out that the regulation is a government-issued stipulation.

However, advocate Roy Abraham, appearing for the petitioners, argued that the college/course transfer via Mop up should be allowed if the same is to secure admission to government seats.

A bench comprising Justices Surya Kant and K K Maheshwari made it clear that the suggestion hasn’t been raised previously. They then issued notices to the opposition parties.

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