MBBS/BDS admissions: HC directs Punjab to waive Class-10 eligibility clause

The Punjab and Haryana high court on Friday directed the Punjab government to consider the students who had completed their Class 10 from schools outside Punjab and Class 12 from the state schools for accepting their application, conducting counseling, and, if eligible, admitting them in its 85% state quota seats of MBBS/BDS courses.

Justice GS Sandhawalia, however, made it clear that the interim directions were being issued subject to the final outcome of the decision in the bunch of petitions being heard by the court. Since the Punjab government failed to clear its stand on the issue and did not file the reply, the court adjourned the case to July 2.

The interim directions have come as a big relief for hundreds of medical aspirants who eventually became ineligible because of the Punjab government's March 7 notification. The notification had made it mandatory for students to have passed Class 10 from a school situated in Punjab along with Classes 11 and 12 to be eligible for its 85% state medical quota, which virtually rendered hundreds of medical aspirants who had done their class 10 from Chandigarh or Haryana ineligible. However, the notification was stayed by the high court on April 29.

All India Pre Medical Test (AIPMT) was conducted for MBBS/BDS on May 4 and as per Supreme Court directions, the first round of counselling has to be completed before June 25.