Tamil Nadu Government today informed the Madras High Court that at least 46 students could not be admitted to MBBS or BDS courses this year as they had not completed 17 years of age as on the cut-off date December 31, 2013.
Additional government pleader P Sanjay Gandhi submitted that many students were short of the cut-off date and their applications had been rejected, in a counter-affidavit before Justice V Ramasubramanian when the case of T Ramanujam, whose application was rejected because of the shortage of 27 days for attaining age of 17 as on the cut-off date, came up for hearing.
Ramanujam was born on January 27, 1998, and is younger by 27 days from the qualifying date. The Dalit boy was able to write his plus two examination only due to a special permission from the Chief Education Officer of Namakkal earlier this year.
He moved the court after his application for MBBS course was rejected by the authorities on the ground of under-age.
As per the orders of the High Court a report was filed by the Director of Medical Education R G Sukumar, which said "applications of 46 under aged candidates who have applied for admission to MBBS/BDS courses this year were made ineligible, including Ramanujam".
"In the list, even for the shortage of single day, two days, four days and six days, applications were rejected," the report said.
Citing an earlier order of the High Court in a similar case, the official said "the fact that he was permitted to appear for the plus two examinations was not a right claim for admission for MBBS course."
Noting that the minimum age criterion was fixed for the whole country by the Medical Council of India, the government said the rule was in force for more than two decades now. It cannot be relaxed for Ramanujam, as he is not eligible for being admitted in MBBS course.
Justice Ramasubramanian posted the matter to August 13 for further hearing.
