Chennai: Medical Students granted relief by Madras High Court

A stay has been ordered by the Madras High Court on the proceedings ordered by the Medical Council of India(MCI) on September 7 and the resulting action initiated by the Health Secretary , Puducherry to cancel admissions of students who had been admitted to Pondicherry Institute of Medical Sciences in the academic year 2016-17 in violation of the admission norms.

Justice B. Ravichandra Baabu who granted the interim stay to 91 affected students on their writ petitions ordered that the interim order would be in operation until October 23. He gave a directive for counter affidavits to be filed by the MCI as well as the Government of Puducherry by then. The petitioners were also ordered to file their rejoinder if any.

"Discharging these students from their course is undoubtedly a major penal action having drastic consequences on their academics. Certainly, such drastic action cannot be taken without following the principles of natural justice. Needless to say that having allowed the students to continue in their cases for one year... it would certainly cause prejudice in the event of their success in these writ petitions later."

"On the other hand, if these students are permitted to continue the course by grant of an interim order and later, if they fail to succeed in these writ petitions, certainly, they have to leave the college without seeking for any equity," the judge observed, reports Hindu.