HP: HC notice on plea over admission denial by medical college

Shimla: The Himachal Pradesh High Court issued notice on a petition filed by students who have been allegedly denied admission by a medical college.

A division bench of the court comprising Justices Dharam Chand Chaudhary and Chander Bhusan Barowalia also directed the respondents the state government Union Health Secretary, Maharshi Markendeshwar Medical College (MMMC), Kumarhatti (Solan) and Medical Council of India (MCI) to file their reply by September 20, 2016.

The students alleged that the college had not given admission to them as per the merit list prepared through centralised counselling on the basis of NEET merit and pleaded that the matter be resolved as classes in other medical colleges have already started.

The MMMC, which had requested the government to hike the fee for 50 per cent of the seats under government, allegedly had refused admission to the students who reached the college on September 8 after centralised counselling was over and merit list was sent to the college, but the MMMC authorities "shunned" the MBBS aspirants, leaving them in a lurch.

The government had already fixed a very high fee of Rs 5 lakh per annum for government quota seats, which is almost ten time more the fee in government quota seats, which is almost ten time more the fee in government medical colleges, it was stated.

The government turned down the request of the college for hike in fee on the ground that it was not possible after publication of the prospectus and and asked the college to immediately start admissions or face action.

The MMMC is affiliated to Maharshi Markendeshwar University as a "consequent" college of the university. The government, however, has made it clear in the essentially certificate that the college would be affiliated to Himachal Pradesh University (HPU), but MMMC is yet to take action.