NEET 2017: Bombay HC Directs States to take Students who Completed SSC Outside State
- Bombay HC ruled in favour of medical aspirants applying for medical programmes.
- Students who have pursued SSC from outside the state can also apply for state medical colleges.
- The decision has been taken in favour of education rights.
NEET UG 2017 latest development has come as a relief for medical aspirants as the Aurangabad bench of the Bombay High Court ruled that students who have completed SSC from a different state can take admission in medical institutes within their native state.
A division bench of Justice Sunil Kotwal and Justice Anoop Mohta heard the petitions filed by various students regarding the change in NEET 2017 rules that demand students to have pursued SSC from Maharashtra as well as obtain a domicile in order to take admission in the state-based medical colleges.
The court has directed the state government to not insist that students seeking admissions in state colleges must have appeared for class 12 within the respective state. The decision was made keeping in account that most of the domicile-holders of Maharashtra have pursued their secondary education from outside the state.
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The bench said that this sudden change in the rules was unreasonable and that students must have been informed regarding this rule well in advance. This rule affects the right to further study, stated the bench.
Although the states have the authority to bring in and amend policies, they cannot disregard the education rights of students, the bench added. It was also mentioned by the Bombay High Court that states cannot make such changes without informing students well in advance as it will give them the time to decide whether they want to move out of state after class 10 or not.
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The Court observed that such a rule will be a huge hurdle for students who have cleared SSC exams or their equivalent and seek admission in medical programmes offered by state colleges. The Court also said that all domicile holders must be permitted to take admission in state medical colleges regardless of the state from where they have completed SSC.