Bengaluru: In a major relief to Belagavi-based Jawaharlal Nehru Medical College (JNMC), the Karnataka High Court has stayed the National Medical Commission’s (NMC) order that barred the institution from admitting students to the first-year MBBS course for the academic year 2025–26.
Court Directions
A Division Bench of Justices S.R. Krishna Kumar and C.M. Poonacha directed that JNMC’s 200 MBBS seats be included in the ongoing counselling for undergraduate medical admissions. Of these, 188 seats will be allotted through the Medical Counselling Committee (MCC) under the all-India quota, and 12 seats through the Karnataka Examinations Authority under the State quota.
Criminal Case Will Continue
The High Court clarified that this interim relief would not affect the criminal proceedings pending before the CBI, in which certain officials of KLE Society—the trust running JNMC—have been named as accused.
Petition by KLE University
KLE Academy of Higher Education and Research, which manages JNMC, argued that the CBI’s FIR and reports did not directly name the institution or the university. The bench accepted this contention while granting temporary relief.
Reference to Supreme Court Order
The court relied on a 2023 Supreme Court ruling in the NMC vs Shyamlal Chandrashekhar Medical College case, which held that registration of an FIR alone is not a valid ground to withhold permission if the college meets the required infrastructure and standards.
Background of NMC Action
The NMC had earlier barred JNMC from admitting students for AY 2025–26 following bribery allegations. A senior NMC assessor was arrested by the CBI for allegedly accepting a ₹10 lakh bribe to favorably report on seat enhancement. Taking cognisance, NMC had decided against renewal of MBBS and PG seats and cancelled applications for new courses.
Court’s Observation
The Karnataka High Court, however, noted that JNMC had rectified earlier deficiencies and could not be prevented from admitting students during the ongoing criminal proceedings.
