Cuttack: The Odisha High Court on Wednesday directed the state government to abide by its decision on readmission of students of Sardar Rajas Medical College.
A division bench of the court of Justice Indrajit Mahanti and Justice BP Choudhury made it clear that the students, who had taken admission under government quota, would be readmitted in government medical colleges while those who had taken admission under management quota, would be readmitted in private medical colleges.
Informing that the Medical Council of India (MCI) would take up the issue of readmission of Sardar Rajas students at its executive council meeting scheduled on November 27, the court directed the state government to complete readmission process within two weeks after the meeting.
Taking to OTV over phone, advocate Pitambara Acharya said the MCI had told the state government that it has nothing to say if the medicos of Sardar Rajas are admitted in government medical colleges. But the state government had stuck to its decision to readmit these students in three private medical colleges namely KIMS, SUM and Hi-Tech.
“However, realising that since the case has lingered for over five months and the ultimate decision authority is the MCI which is the regulatory body for the grant of approval, permission and recognition so far the medical courses are concerned, the court, while keeping the future of these students in view, wanted to dispose of the case once for all”, Acharya said.
He further said the bench asked the government to readmit 85 out of a total of 100 students of 2013-14 batch in two government medical colleges— VSS Medical College and Hospital at Burla and MKCG Medical College and Hospital in Berhampur— since they had taken admission under government quota and give option to 15 students, who had taken admission under management and NRI quota, for admission in any of the three aforesaid private medical colleges.
With regard to fees, the bench made it clear that the Sardar Rajas students, after their readmission in two government and three private medical colleges, will deposit the same fees they were paying under government and management quota provisions.
“The court directed the state government to submit a status report on the readmission of Sardar Rajas students in its next hearing in the third week”, Acharya added.
“We are concerned about the students of Sardar Rajas students and will abide by the decision of the High Court in letter and spirit”, Health and Family Welfare minister Atanu Sabyasachi Nayak said.
It may be mentioned that MCI had denied admission in Sardar Rajas Medical College during 2015-16 academic session citing infrastructure deficiency which had put the future of the students in a state of uncertainty.