‘No state quota med seats for those who erred in application’

MUMBAI: The Bombay high court rejected a plea filed by 22 medical studies aspirants, who sought to be considered for admission to private medical colleges under the state quota after they inadvertently opted for the option of the NRI (non-resident Indian) quota while filling their admission form.

The students had secured a seat, but as they were unable to pay the fees, they claimed that they should be considered for the state quota.the bench of justice B R Gavai and G S Karnik, however, dismissed their claims stating that this would rob students who already secured a seat under the state quota of their right. Such an inadvertent mistake could not be grounds for making an exception, said the court.

Arguing for the students, some who hail from families with a modest income, advocate Faiz Merchant said there was an inherent flaw in the admission form which confused the students. He told the court that the options of NRI or state quota were given merely as “N” or “S”. It was only after students were assigned a seat, did they realise that they had opted for the wrong quota.

However, advocate SS Patwardhan, appearing for the State Common Entrance Test (CET) cell, claimed the mistakes were not inadvertent, and even if they were, such students were not fit to pursue medical studies.he added that giving relief to these students would aggrieve students who had already secured a seat, hence their plea should not be allowed.