HC imposes cost of ₹5 lakh on medical college for refusing admission

ALLAHABAD: The Allahabad high court on Friday imposed a cost of ₹5 lakh on Subharthi Medical College, Meerut for denying admission to a student in MD course last year as he failed to fulfill the illegal demand of ₹31.89 lakh as bank guarantee by the college authorities.

Hearing a writ petition by Dr Mukhtar Singh, a division bench comprising Justice Tarun Agarwala and Justice Ajay Bhanot also directed principal secretary, medical education and training to institute an inquiry into the conduct of director general, medical education and training, as the petitioner has alleged that he had made a complaint to the director general about illegal demand of the college, but no action was taken by him.

Singh, who was given admission to the MD course on the basis of merit, submitted a bank draft worth ₹29.44 lakh to the college authorities as fee.

SINGH HAD SUBMITTED ₹29.44 LAKH AS FEE. HOWEVER, AN ADDITIONAL DEMAND FOR ₹31.89 LAKH WAS MADE

The fee regulatory committee had prescribed the amount towards tuition fee, security deposit, hostel expenses and hostel security.

However, to the petitioner’s surprise, an additional demand of bank guarantee was made by the medical college authorities for Rs 31.89 lakh as precondition for completion of admission process.

According to him, when he failed to deposit the same, he was denied admission.

The petitioner then approached the high court.

After hearing counter submissions, the court held that denial of admission to the petitioner on failure to pay the extra bank guarantee was violative of relevant government orders and also the recommendations of the fee regulatory committee and imposed the cost on the medical college.