States can allocate leftover PG seats in medical courses: SC
New Delhi, May 25: The Supreme Court on Friday said the state governments across the country can allocate remaining seats in post graduate medical courses in private medical colleges on the basis of all-India NEET merit list.
A vacation bench of Justice A.M. Khanwilkar and Justice Indu Malhotra also extended the applicability of its order passed for private unaided medical colleges in Uttar Pradesh to all the states.
"We appreciate the suggestion ... that similar dispensation can be followed in other states, if they so desire, while ensuring that the cut-off date of 31st May 2018 is strictly adhered to," the court said in its order on Friday.
Noting "peculiar situation" that 41.95 per cent of post-graduate medical seats in the private unaided medical colleges in Uttar Pradesh have remained vacant for the year 2018-2019, the court accepted the suggestion by Assistant Solicitor General (ASG) Pinki Anand that the state's Director General of Medical Education (DGME) be entrusted with the task to nominate candidates on the basis of all-India merit list.
The cut-off date for filling these seats was May 18.
Directing the Uttar Pradesh DGME to take immediate steps in this regard, in right earnest, the court said, "... In the larger public interest, Dr. K.K. Gupta, Director General of Medical Education, ... must take up the responsibility of allotting students from the all-India NEET merit list in order of merit to the respective colleges by 31st May 2018."
"We find this suggestion to be most appropriate and also assuages the grievance of the private medical colleges and opens up new opportunities for the aspiring candidates in the merit list who otherwise could not secure admission in other medical colleges," the order said.
Observing that the cut-off date of May 31 must be "adhered to in its letter and spirit", the court order said: "Be it noted, no request for extension of time for any reason whatsoever will be entertained hereafter."
The court made it clear that no candidate, who is already admitted in post graduate medical course, would be allowed to participate in this admission process as it would have a cascading affect on the seats that would be vacated by them.
"We make it clear that in the guise of recommending names of candidates to private colleges, the candidate who has already secured admission elsewhere cannot be permitted to resign from the college concerned to avail of the opportunity under the stated dispensation," the court said in its order.
The court also took on record the assurance by the Centre and the Medical Council of India (MCI) that its decision would be "forthwith published" in the official websites of the MCI, Medical Counselling Committee and the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare.
The court's order came on a petition by the Uttar Pradesh Unaided Medical Colleges Welfare Association.
Appearing for the MCI, counsel Gaurav Sharma said the situation had arisen because of high fee being charged by the private medical colleges.
Let the Truth be known. If you read VB and like VB, please be a VB Supporter and Help us deliver the Truth to one and all.
Strict security measures in place in Mumbai for Messi's events at 2 venues Dec 14, say police
Mumbai (PTI): In view of Argentine superstar footballer Lionel Messi's visit to Mumbai on Sunday, the city police are implementing stringent security measures, like not allowing water bottles, metals, coins inside the stadiums and setting up watchtowers to keep an eye on the crowd, officials said.
The police also said taking extra care to avoid any stampede-like situation and to prevent recurrence of the chaotic situation that unfolded in Kolkata during Messi's visit on Saturday as thousands of fans protested inside the Salt Lake stadium here after failing to catch a clear glimpse of the football icon despite paying hefty sums for tickets.
Messi is expected to be present at the Cricket Club of India (Brabourne Stadium) in Mumbai on Sunday for a Padel GOAT Cup event followed by attending a celebrity football match. He is expected to proceed to the Wankhede Stadium for the GOAT India Tour main event around 5 pm.
"In view of Lionel Messi's visit to Mumbai, the police are geared up and have put in place a high level of security arrangements in and around the stadiums located in south Mumbai. Considering the chaos that prevailed in Kolkata and the security breach, we have deployed World Cup-level security arrangements at Brabourne and Wankhede stadiums," an official said.
Expecting heavy crowd near the stadiums during Messi's visit, the city police force has deployed more than 2,000 of its personnel near and around both the venues, he said.
As the Mumbai police have the experience of security 'bandobast' during the victory parade of ICC World Cup-winning Indian team and World Cup final match at the Wankhede Stadium, in which over one lakh cricket fans had gathered, we are prepared to handle a large crowd of fans, he said.
"We are trying to avoid the errors that occurred in the past," the official said.
There is no place to sneak inside the stadiums in Mumbai like the Kolkata stadium, according to him.
The police are also asking the organisers to provide all the required facilities to the fans inside the stadium, so that there will be no chaos, he said, adding the spectators have purchased tickets in the range of Rs 5,000 to 25,000. After paying so much of amount, any spectator expects proper services, while enjoying the event, he said.
The police are expecting 33,000 spectators at the Wankhede Stadium and over 4,000 at Brabourne Stadium. Besides this, more than 30,000 people are expected outside and around the stadiums just to have a glimpse of the football sensation, he said.
The organisers responsible for Messi's India visit recently came to Mumbai to discuss security arrangements. During the meeting, the Mumbai police asked them not to take the event lightly, according to the official.
After those requirements were fulfilled, the final security deployment was chalked out, he said.
Police has the standard procedure of the security arrangements inside the Wankhede Stadium, where people are barred from taking water bottles, metals objects, coins. Police are setting up watch towers near the stadiums and there will be traffic diversions, so that there is maximum space available to stand, according to the official.
Police are also appealing to the spectators to use public transport service for commuting and avoid personal vehicles to reach south Mumbai.
To avoid any stampede-like situation, police are also taking precautionary measures and will stop the fans some distance ahead of the stadium and public announcement systems will be used to guide the crowd. Barricades will be placed at various places to manage the crowd.
In case the crowd swells up beyond expectation, the police will divert people to other grounds and preparations in this regard underway, he said.
Additional police force has been deployed in south Mumbai to tackle any kind of situation, he said.
