Ahmedabad: In a significant relief to an MBBS aspirant, the Gujarat High Court has directed the Admission Committee for Professional Courses (ACPC) to grant admission to a student at Narendra Modi Medical College, despite her failure to confirm the seat during the third round of counselling.
The decision came after the student assured the court that she would serve an additional six months in a rural posting after completing her MBBS—on top of the mandatory one-year rural service required of medical graduates.
According to The Times of India, the High Court bench insisted on the additional rural service as a corrective measure for the student’s negligence in failing to submit her provisional admission order at the help centre, a necessary step to finalise her Round 3 admission.
How the Issue Arose
The student initially opted for a medical college in Nadiad during Round 2 but later chose Narendra Modi Medical College in Round 3. Although she paid the fees and even began attending classes, she failed to submit the provisional allotment order, leading ACPC to mark her seat as vacant in its system.
This lapse put her admission at risk and opened the possibility of the seat being reassigned to another candidate.
She subsequently approached the High Court, arguing that the omission was a bona fide mistake and that she believed her admission was confirmed upon fee payment. She claimed she was misinformed by college staff regarding the procedure.
Court’s Initial Stand
During an earlier hearing, the bench of Justice Nirzar Desai observed that the student had qualified on merit and had legitimately been allotted the seat. To prevent irreparable loss, the court instructed authorities to keep the seat vacant pending a final decision.
Final Order and Conditions
With the student agreeing to undertake six months of additional rural service, the High Court decided to regularize her admission, remarking that rural communities would benefit from the extended service of a qualified doctor.
The bench stated:
“If the rural area of the state is going to get six months’ additional service of a qualified medical doctor, by imposing a cost of Rs 5,000, such procedural lacuna which can solely be attributed to the petitioner can be cured.”
Court’s Directions
- The student must submit a written undertaking for the additional rural service.
- She must immediately complete the formalities of submitting her provisional admission order and confirming her seat.
- A fine of ₹5,000 has been imposed to ensure she does not repeat such negligence.
The ruling offers the student a second chance while ensuring greater medical service for rural areas—balancing individual relief with broader public interest.
