HC notice to state in BDS admission case

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, June 24

Less than a fortnight after a Single Judge of the Punjab and Haryana High Court dismissed a bunch of petitions filed by students admitted to dental colleges in Punjab on the basis of merits in the 10+ 2 examination, a Division Bench today issued notice of motion on an appeal against the orders.

Taking up the matter, the vacation Division Bench of Justice Paramjeet Singh; and Justice Harinder Singh Sidhu also fixed June 29 as the next date of hearing.

In one of the petitions against the State of Punjab and other respondents before the Single Judge, Jaspreet Singh Cheema and other petitioners had prayed for regularising the admission of students to Bachelor of Dental Surgery course in the 2014-15 session.

The petitioners contended that they were given admission on the basis of their merits in 10+2 examination, as admittedly they had not cleared the entrance test.

Taking up the matter, the Single Judge had also set a 15-day deadline for the Dental Council of India and the Medical Council of India for taking appropriate steps to avoid unnecessary litigation due to a clause in a Punjab Government notification.

It said admission to MBBS and BDS courses would be done on the basis of marks obtained in the qualifying 10+2 examination if seats were vacant.

During the course of hearing, the court’s attention was drawn to clause 5(2) of the Graduate Medical Education Regulations, 1997, which said: “The selection of students to medical college shall be based solely on the merit of the candidate…”