SC cancels counselling by pvt medical colleges in Madhya Pradesh

It said two representatives of private medical colleges would participate in the counselling process to be conducted by the state govt

In a significant order, the Supreme Court on Thursday cancelled the counselling conducted so far by private medical colleges in Madhya Pradesh for admissions in undergraduate medical course and ordered that a combined counselling be held afresh.

A five-judge constitution bench headed by Justice A R Dave asked the state government to complete within a week the combined counselling process for both private and government colleges.

It said two representatives of private medical colleges would participate in the counselling process to be conducted by the state government.

The order came on a recent contempt petition filed by the Madhya Pradesh government alleging that private medical colleges have been refusing to admit students, who have taken part in the centralised counselling being conducted by it.

The state government, while seeking initiation of contempt action against private medical colleges, alleged that they were conducting the counselling on their own.

The bench, also comprising Justices A K Sikri, R K Agrawal, Adarsh Kumar Goel and R Banumathi, expressed unhappiness over the fact that the private colleges were holding their own counselling.

On Wednesday, the apex court had ordered status quo in admission to undergraduate medical courses in private medical institutes in Madhya Pradesh.

The apex court, on April 11, had recalled its 2013 verdict scrapping single common entrance test (NEET) for admission to MBBS, BDS and PG courses in all medical colleges.

As a result, the private colleges are required to get students through NEET.