MBBS admissions would be subject to outcome of petition: HC

Madras High Court has observed that all admissions for MBBS courses made during the second phase of counselling in Tamil Nadu are subject to the outcome of the writ petition, which has questioned the "unfair exclusion" of 74 Most Backward Class candidates from the exercise.
Justice K K Sasidharan, before whom the petition of E Arunmohan of Thirukovilur came up for admission today, gave the interim order and posted the matter to August 19 for further hearing.
According to K Balu, counsel for the petitioner, 74 candidates from most backward communities such as Vanniars and 13 from scheduled caste communities were affected by the method adopted for the second phase of counselling from August 6-12.

The problem occurred because the authorities had completed admission to 2,291 MBBS seats in the first phase, following the communal reservation system. When the state got a windfall of more than 1,000 MBBS seats - 356 in government medical colleges, 714 in self-financing colleges - the second counselling was scheduled.
According to Balu, the authorities started the admissions from rank 813 to 2,000.
In this segment, while 358 BC and open category student benefited, only one MBC student was given admission. Balu said the court should direct the authorities to treat MBC candidates selected against MBC quota in the first phase, as having been selected under open category and consequently accommodate about 74 qualified MBC candidates in the slots.