Maharashtra CET cell asked to admit 65 ST students; will release updated schedule

The first seat allotment list was released in the second week of July, following which, 24 students who applied for admission under the ST quota were moved to the open category list as they could not submit valid caste validity certificate to confirm admission.

The state common entrance test (CET) cell plans to release a new schedule for admissions to undergraduate medical and dental admissions after the Bombay high court asked it to consider the case of 65 students belonging to scheduled tribe (ST) who could not provide documents to claim seats under ST quota.

Bombay high court asked the state common entrance test (CET) cell to consider the case of 65 students belonging to scheduled tribe (ST) who could not provide documents to claim seats under ST quota. (HT Photo)

The students, many of whom had approached the Supreme Court last month alleging violation of rights at the time of admissions, have been asked to approach the CET cell on the basis of a provisional caste validity certificate until they can produce original documents.

“The Bombay high court heard cases of several students and has now asked us to consider names of 65 students. We’ve asked them to submit state verified documents for the time being and will accommodate them in the system,” said Anand Rayate, commissioner, state CET cell.

The first seat allotment list was released in the second week of July, following which, 24 students who applied for admission under the ST quota were moved to the open category list as they could not submit valid caste validity certificate to confirm admission.

On August 13, the Supreme Court acted on a petition filed by the students, who alleged that they were deprived of quota seats as they could not produce caste certificates in time. The SC, in its order, requested a special bench at the Bombay HC to solve the issue at the earliest and extended admission deadline.

Instead of the earlier deadline of August 18, the state has time until September 8 to finish filling up remaining seats in medical and dental institutes.

Students usually get three days to complete admission formalities after the announcement of an allotment list, but this year, the process has taken over two weeks due to confusion over newly included seats in dental courses as well as floods in the state. On August 13, the SC called for a stay on UG medical and dental admissions until there was clarity on petitions filed by students from the ST communities.

“The students had approached the court, alleging that they could not submit documents as they were still waiting for the official ones. For the time being, the court has directed the minority department to make conditional caste validity certificates available to the students and accordingly complete their admission process under the ST quota,” said Rayate.

An updated schedule will be made public on Wednesday, he added