Transfer MBBS student to pvt college: HC to MCI

Mumbai: The Bombay high court has directed the Medical Council of India (MCI) to grant permission to a first year MBBS student from Maharashtra who is seeking transfer to the second year of a private medical college in Karnataka as the student had got all the necessary No Objection Certificates (NOCs) from the authorities in Karnataka. The bench directed the MCI to not deny permission on the grounds that the student had sought a transfer belatedly.

A division bench of justices B R Gavai and B P Colabawalla was hearing a writ petition filed by a first year MBBS student of Navodaya College, Raichur seeking directions to the MCI to consider her application for transfer to a private medical college. Senior advocate AV Anturkar who appeared for the student informed the court that as the private medical college had a vacant seat in the second year and was willing to accommodate the petitioner, MCI should permit the transfer. Anturkar further informed the court that the student had already got NOC’s from all the relevant authorities from Karnataka.  

After the advocate for the private college confirmed that the college was willing to accommodate, the bench observed that it was quite late for the transfer since MCI approved transfers had been completed last month. But, in the best interest of the student’s career, the MCI should consider the application. The court further directed the student to apply for permission immediately and also directed MCI to decide on the application within a period of one week and posted the matter for January 12, 2018.  

Transfer of MBBS students is permitted after the first year only and is done solely on merit by the MCI. Colleges have to submit the list of vacant seats and applicants are allotted seats on merit. The process was carried out in December and as the student was seeking a transfer belatedly, she had to file the writ petition.