Three medical colleges move HC for reinspection

The Delhi High Court today agreed to hear pleas of three medical colleges seeking implementation of the Centre's direction to MCI to inspect such institutes and see if they are complying with all norms prior to granting them permission to admit students.
Shree Chhatrapati Shivaji Education Society, Gold Field Shiksha Sanstha and another college have also sought quashing of MCI's order rejecting their applications for renewal of permission to induct students to MBBS course for academic year 2014-15.
The petitions also contain a letter purportedly written by Secretary, Union Health Ministry on July 8, asking MCI to carry out the requisite inspection so that the number of seats in MBBS courses in the country does not come down on mere ground of technicalities.

"I am also informed that approximately 150 cases have been referred to MCI for review and a majority of these colleges are government colleges. The government cannot afford to accept the possibility of losing such large number of MBBS seats on the basis of mere technicalities.
"In view of this, to provide opportunity to more students to get MBBS seats in all medical colleges in the country it is suggested that MCI may file an IA in Priya Gupta case before the Supreme Court to get order dated June 6, 2014 modified to the following extent to ensure that MCI has adequate time to carry out compliance verification assessment wherever necessary," a letter written by Lov Verma, Health Secretary, said.

The health secretary has requested MCI to take immediate steps in "larger public interest" to ensure that the authority "is not seen working against the public interest".
Justice Manmohan, before whom the matters were listed today, said he needs to go through the voluminous petitions and thus, will hear them tomorrow.
Senior advocate Nidesh Gupta, appearing for Gold Field Shiksha Sanstha, cited the letter when he mentioned the matter in the morning seeking an urgent hearing.