Universities allowed to file fresh plea over NEET

Mumbai: The Bombay high court has allowed deemed medical and dental universities in the state to file a fresh writ petition challenging the central government’s order and clarification letter issued by the UGC regarding admissions based on National Eligibility cum Entrance Test (NEET). Earlier, the writ petitions filed by the universities had sought clarity on the procedure of the admission after the state government had said that it would conduct the admissions based on NEET results. However, after the Supreme Court issued an order in September last year enumerating the method of admission, the petitions by the universities became infructuous and hence were disposed of by the high court.

A division bench of Justices Shantanu Kemkar and B.P. Colabawalla was hearing a clutch of petitions filed by various deemed medical and dental colleges in the state. The petition questioned the validity of the state government’s decision to conduct admissions to all medical and dental colleges including deemed universities based on the NEET results.

The deemed universities were aggrieved by the order as it implied that they would have no say in the admission process at all. The universities had challenged the constitutional validity of such a decision on the grounds that they were independent and had the right to administer themselves. The universities had managed to get interim relief from the Bombay high court last year before the start of the admission process.

However, after the state challenged the stay, the Supreme Court enumerated the method of admission to deemed universities. The order also said that a committee comprising of state government officials as well as representatives of the deemed universities would conduct the second and third counselling rounds.