The Punjab and Haryana high court has issued notice to the state government and Baba Farid University of Health Sciences (BFUHS), Faridkot, over domicile row in counselling for MBBS admissions. The court will hear the case on July 17.
The petitioner, MBBS aspirant Harsumeet Kaur Brar, urged the court to direct the BFUHS not to consider candidates for admission in the MBBS course for the session 2018-19 who had applied in more than one state under the 85% state quota meant for Punjab residents.
The high court ordered that “the petitioners are permitted to participate in the counselling without conferring any equitable right upon them, but their result shall be subject to the outcome of the writ petition”.
Petitioner’s counsel Alisha Arora said the purpose of the 85% reservation is to ensure that bona fide Punjabis get admission in their own state. “There are many students who have applied in more than one state under the 85% quota meant for bona fide residents of Punjab,” said Arora.
The BHUFS made it mandatory for the candidates to submit affidavits of state domicile by their parents and guardians that the student has not obtained the benefit of domicile for admission in MBBS/BDS courses in any other state/UT except central counselling by the Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) to avoid multiple domicile claims.
{{/usCountry}}The BHUFS made it mandatory for the candidates to submit affidavits of state domicile by their parents and guardians that the student has not obtained the benefit of domicile for admission in MBBS/BDS courses in any other state/UT except central counselling by the Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) to avoid multiple domicile claims.
{{/usCountry}}Former registrar of the BFUHS Dr Pyara Lal Garg has also written to chief minister Captain Amarinder Singh over domicile row calling it injustice to Punjab students due to double benefit of home state and as well as of other state by many applicants for admission to the MBBS course.
The BFUHS also received complaints against 59 MBBS aspirants that they have claimed state quota in multiple states.
BFUHS vice-chancellor of Dr Raj Bahadur said the university has evaluated documents of 59 aspirants and observed that nine candidates have done their Class 11 and 12 from Punjab, thus are eligible by virtue of Punjab government notification. Eight candidates are from Sikh minority quota and nine are from exempted class as per Punjab government notification.
“The remaining 33 candidates are only eligible for BDS course if seats are vacant after absorption of Punjab candidates,” said Dr Raj Bahadur. He said the university has been keeping a strict vigil on fake or multiple domicile claims by making affidavit mandatory.