No medical admission beyond July 15, or face contempt: SC

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The Supreme Court has framed a series of guidelines for admission to MBBS and BDS courses in the country, saying after July 15 each year, neither the government nor the medical or dental councils shall issue any recognition or approval for that academic year.

"The commencement of new courses or increase in seats of existing courses of MBBS/BDS are to be approved/recognised by the government of India by 15th July of each calendar year for the relevant academic sessions of that year.''

"After 15th July of each year, neither the Union of India nor the Medical or Dental Council of India shall issue any recognition or approval for the current academic year. If any such approval is granted after 15th July of any year, it shall only be operative for the next academic year and not in the current academic year," the bench of justices A.K. Patnaik and Swatanter Kumar said.

The judges said violation of the orders would invite both contempt proceedings and initiation of departmental action against the violating its directions.

The bench initiated contempt proceedings against six officials in connection with the admission granted to two girls - Akansha Adile and Priya Gupta - in the MBBS course for the academic year 2006-07 in the Government NMDC Medical College, Jagdalpur in Chandigarh, on September 30, after overlooking the claims of several other meritorious students and the time schedule.

Contempt proceedings were initiated against the director general, Directorate of Health Services; S.L. Adile, director of Medical Education; the dean of Jagdalpur College; and M.S. Banjan, P.D. Agarwal and Padmakar Sasane, members of the selection committee. Akansha is the daughter of S.L. Adile.