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PETITIONER: AARTI GUPTA AND ORS.

       Vs.

RESPONDENT: STATE OF PUNJAB AND ORS.

DATE OF JUDGMENT09/12/1987

BENCH: MISRA RANGNATH BENCH: MISRA RANGNATH OZA, G.L. (J) VENKATACHALLIAH, M.N. (J)

CITATION:  1988 AIR  481            1988 SCR  (2) 244  1988 SCC  (1) 258        JT 1987 (4)   613  1987 SCALE  (2)1273

ACT:      Competitive Entrance  Examination for  admission to the M.B.B.S./ B.  D. S.  Courses-Lowering of  percentage of pass marks  for   the  scheduled   castes  and  scheduled  tribes candidates for admission thereto challenged.

HEADNOTE: %      One hundred  seats out  of the total seats available in the M.B.B.S./B.D.S.  courses were reserved for the Scheduled Castes and  Scheduled Tribes candidates, for whom the Indian Medical Council  had  prescribed  by  its  Regulation  II  a minimum of  40 per  cent marks for eligibility of admission. The Government  of Punjab  by a  notification (dated  May 8, 1987) lowered  the percentage of the pass marks for the said candidates from  40 per  cent to  35 per  cent as  against a minimum of  SO per  cent  marks  for  the  general  category candidates.      on the  basis of selection test held, only 32 qualified candidates of  the reserved  category  were  available.  The prospectus published  by the  university for the competitive examinations provided  that the  seats left  vacant  in  any reserved category  owing  to  the  non-availability  of  the eligible candidates  may be  filled  up  from  the  eligible candidates  of   the  general   category.  Accordingly,  the remaining seats  (out of  100) should  have reverted  to the general pool  of the eligible candidates. But the government issued an order (dated July 28, 1987) whereby the percentage of pass  marks for the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes candidates was  lowered from 35 per cent to 25 per cent (for the 1987 session only).      The appellants  challenged the above-said orders of the government before  the High  Court which  dismissed the Writ Petition filed  by them.  The appellants appealed this Court by special leave.      Dismissing the appeal, the Court, 245 ^      HELD: If  the  Regulation  11  of  the  Indian  Medical Council is  found to be binding, then the impugned orders of

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the government would be bad, but the Regulation is merely in the nature  of a recommendation and the language used in the Regulation is deliberate, intended to indicate the intention of the Council, as inter alia held by a three-Judge Bench of this Court  in The State of M.P. and Anr. v. Kumari Nivedita Jain and  Ors., [1982] 1 SCR 759. That was a similar case as this one,  and the  appellants are  not entitled to make any grievance on this score.[249D: 250]      The State Government had intended that 100 seats should go to  the candidates  of the scheduled castes and scheduled tribes.  When   that  number   of  the  candidates  has  not available, reduction  in the  qualifying  marks  had  to  be effected, and  the government’s  action cannot be said to be arbitrary. [251 D-E]      After the  percentage in  the qualifying  standard  was reduced, all  the remaining  68 seats have been filled up by the scheduled  castes and  scheduled tribes  candidates  and teaching has  begun. These  68 candidates are not before the Court, not  having been  impleaded. It  is not  open to  the Court to cancel their admission behind their back, nor would it be  possible to  require the  State Government  to create additional seats to accommodate the appellants. [251F] OBSERVATION: The  standard of  medical profession should not be compromised  in the  national interest.  There has been a perceptible fall  in  the  national  standards  and  general efficiency  of   the  professional  men.  While  it  is  not necessary to  say anything  against reservation,  the  Court approves of  the concern shown by the Indian Medical Council that high  standards of efficiency should be maintained, and that can  only be  possible if  the State  and  the  Council cooperate to maintain a high standard. This aspect should be kept in  view when  the guidelines  are prescribed  for  the selection of  the students  for  the  medical  courses.  The impugned notification of the State Government shows that the reduction is  confined to  one year  1987 only.  It is hoped there would be no necessity for a repetition of this action. [251G-H; 252A-B]      State of  M.P. and  Anr. v.  Kumari Nivedita  lain  and Ors., [1982]  1 SCR  759; State  of Kerala  v.  Kumari  T.P. Roshana &  Anr. [1979]  2 SCR  974 and Krishna Priya Ganguly etc. v. University of Lucknow & 246 Ors. etc., [1984] 1 SCR 302, referred to.

JUDGMENT:      CIVIL APPELLATE  JURISDICTION: Civil Appeal No. 3556 of 1987.      From the  Judgment and  order  dated  2.9.1987  of  the Punjab and Haryana High Court in C.W.P. No. 5781 of 1987.      L.M. Singhvi,  H.M. Singh, A.M. Singhvi, R.S. Yadav and N. Waziri for the Appellants.      Kuldeep Singh, Additional Solicitor General, C.M. Nayar B..R.  Agarwala,   and  Ms.   Sushma   Manchanda   for   the Respondents.      The Judgment of the Court was delivered by      RANGANATH MISRA, J. This appeal is by special leave and is directed  against the  decision of the Punjab and Haryana High Court  dismissing a  writ petition of the appellants in limine. On  8th of  May, 1987,  the  Government  of  Punjab, Respondent No. 1, notified in the State Gazette the criteria for  holding   of  Competitive   Entrance  Examination   for selection of  candidates for admission to MBBS/BDS course in the three  medical colleges  and two  dental colleges within

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the State. The Notification, inter alia, provided:                "(1) Admission shall be given on the basis of           the relative merit of candidates determined on the           result of the Competitive Entrance Examination. In           the case  of reserved  seats relative merit of the           candidate shall be determined within each category           of reservation  except that  in  the  category  of           Sportsmen/Sportswomen admission  shall be made out           of eligible  candidates  on  the  basis  of  their           gradation  done   by  the   Department  of  sports           (Punjab) and  in the category of children/widow of           the defence  personnel candidates  of sub category           vii (b)  given in  para  III(d)  infra,  shall  be           admitted  only   if  eligible  candidates  of  sub           category vii(a)  are  not  available.A  candidate,           however, must secure  minimum of 50 per cent marks           in the competitive Entrance Examination to qualify           for the  admission. However,  candidates belonging           to   the    Scheduled   Castes/Scheduled   Tribes,           Sportsmen/Sports- 247           women,  children/grand   children   of   political           sufferers  and  handicapped  categories  shall  be           eligible only  if they  secure minimum 35 per cent           marks in the Entrance Examination. " 100 seats  out of  total available  seats  in  the  MBBS/BDS Courses were  reserved for  Scheduled Castes  and  Scheduled Tribes candidates.  There is no dispute that on the basis of the selection  test only  32  qualified  candidates  of  the reserved category  were available.  The prospectus published for the  Competitive Examination  by the Punjabi University, Patiala, in  a Note below Para III(a) (ii) under the heading of Distribution of Seats provided:                "Seats left  vacant in any reserved category,           owing to  non-availability of eligible candidates,           may  be   filled  from   the  eligible  candidates           belonging to General Category."           On 28.7.1987, the following order was made:                "The President  of India  is pleased to lower           down the  percentage of  pass marks  in P.M.T. for           Scheduled Castes  and Scheduled  Tribes candidates           for admission  to MBBS/BDS  Courses in  the  State           Medical/Dental Colleges from 35 per cent to 25 per           cent during the session 1987 only.                Para III  (a))(i) of  the  Punjab  Government           Notification No. 2373-5 HB Ill-87/10493 dated 8.5.           1987 stands modified to this extent."      Challenge before  the High  Court as  also before  this Court is against this Notification and four contentions have been advanced:           ( 1)  The  Government  order  and  the  University      Prospectus having  provided that  35 per  cent would be      the  minimum   qualifying  marks   for   the   reserved      categories named  therein,  it  was  not  open  to  the      respondents to make the impugned Notification. The Note      referred to  above which  provided that upon candidates      in the reserved category not being found, the remaining      seats would revert to the general pool; lowering of the      qualifying   percentage   of   marks   prejudices   the      candidates in  the general category, who would have got      the benefit of the 548      Note is an arbitrary act and cannot be sustained.           (2) The  prospectus contained  an offer  and after      the candidates  have appeared in the examination on the

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    basis of  such offer  and representation,  a new  basis      cannot be brought in.           (3) The  Regulation made  by  the  Indian  Medical      Council prescribes  a minimum  of 40 per cent marks and      the regulation is binding on the University as also the      Government and a qualification lower than what has been      prescribed by  the Medical  Council in  exercise of its      Regulation Making  Power is contrary to law and against      the spirit of the scheme.           (4) Doctors  have got  to be  adequately qualified      and professional  standards must  be high  as they deal      with human  lives. Lowering  standard on  the  plea  of      reservation of  a sizeable portion of the seats for the      backward classes  is against  the  interest  n  of  the      nation and detrimental to profession standards.      We shall  first  deal  with  the  prescription  of  the Medical Council  by Regulation. The Secretary of the Medical Council of  India has  filed  an  affidavit.  Regulation  II prescribes:                "In  respect   of  candidates   belonging  to           Scheduled  Castes/Scheduled  Tribes,  the  minimum           marks required  shall be 40 per cent in lieu of 50           per cent for general candidates. " In his affidavit the Secretary has further averred that:                "The Medical Council of India has fixed these           minimum marks  for admission to Medical Courses on           the recommendation  of the  Expert  Body  who  had           taken   all    facts   and    circumstances   into           consideration. The  main factor before the Council           in framing the Regulations was that marks below 40           per cent  will adversely  affect the  studies  and           such candidates  would not  have full  benefit  of           medical education  along with  the candidates with           higher  capability.  In  view  of  the  fact  that           various Governments  were resorting  to methods to           reduce the  minimum marks  in  case  of  Scheduled           Castes and Scheduled Tribes 549           students, again  discussions  took  place  in  the           Executive Committee  of  the  Medical  Council  of           India  on   5.3.1982  and  this  issue  was  fully           considered and  a recommendation  was recorded  on           this aspect."      The Regulation  referred to  above is said to have been made in exercise of powers under Section 33(J) of the Indian Medical Council Act, 1956.      Dr. Singhvi  for the  appellants has  very much  relied upon the  stand taken  by  the  Indian  Medical  Council  in support of  the claim  of the  appellants that the action of the respondents  in reducing  the qualifying marks to 25 per cent as  against the  minimum of 40 per cent is wholly wrong and  cannot   be  sustained.  We  have  taken  up  the  last contention first  because if  the Regulation  is found to be binding  then  certainly  both  the  original  as  also  the subsequent Notification  would be  bad. As against the basic requirement  of   40  per  cent  for  scheduled  castes  and scheduled tribes  candidates the  original Notification  had put the  requirement of  35 per cent five per cent below the minimum and the subsequent Notification reduced it by 10 per cent more.  The question as to whether the Regulation of the Council is  binding came  for determination  before a three- Judge Bench  of this  Court. In  the case of State of M.P. & Anr. v.  Kumari Nivedita  Jain &  Ors [1982]  1 SCR 759, the Court found that:                "Regulation II  of the  Council is  merely in

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         the nature  of  a  recommendation.  Regulation  II           begins with  the words  ’selection of  students in           medical college  should be based solely on merit’.           Language used  in Regulation  II is deliberate and           is intended  to  indicate  the  intention  of  the           Council that  it  is  only  in  the  nature  of  a           recommendation . The Court further went into the matter and observed that:                "The authority  of the Council extends to the           sphere of  maintaining proper medical standards in           Medical Colleges  or  institutions  necessary  for           obtaining recognised  medical  qualifications.  By           virtue of  this authority  it may  be open  to the           Council  to   lay  down  the  minimum  educational           qualifications required of a student who may seek 250           admission into  a Medical College. In other words,           the eligibility  of a candidate who may sit to get           admitted into  a  medical  college  for  obtaining           recognised   medical    qualifications   may    be           prescribed by  the Council. All the candidates who           are eligible  for admission  into medical colleges           or institutions  for getting  themselves qualified           as medical  practitioners  are  entitled  to  seek           admission into  a medical  college of institution.           As to  how the selection has to be made out of the           eligible candidates for admission into the medical           college is  a  matter  which  has  necessarily  to           depend on  circumstances and conditions prevailing           in  particular   State.  Though  the  question  of           eligibility  for   admission  into   the   medical           curriculum  may   come  within   the   power   and           jurisdiction  of  the  Council,  the  question  of           selection of  candidates  out  of  the  candidates           eligible to  the medical course does not appear to           come within the purview of the Council." The view  of a  coordinate Bench  is binding  upon us and we find it  difficult to  differ from what has been held in the aforesaid judgment.  It is true that there is an observation of a  two-Judge Bench  in State  of Kerala  v. Kumari  T. P. Roshana &  Anr., [1979]  2 SCR  974 that  the Regulations of Medical Council  are binding  but that observation k made by Iyer, J. was in passing while in Nivedita’s case (supra) the matter directly  fell for  consideration. Dr.  Singhvi  also relied upon  the observations  of Fazal  Ali, J. in a three- Judge Bench  decision  in  Krishna  Priya  Ganguly  etc.  v. University of Lucknow & Ors. etc., [1984] I SCR 302 but here again it  was an  obiter; at  any rate reference to Nivedita Jain’s case was not made.      It is  interesting to note that in Nivedita Jain’s case (supra), in  a situation  almost similar  as here, the State Government fully  deleted the prescription of the percentage of marks  in the selection examination. That certainly was a worse situation  than the one before us. Yet that action was upheld. In  that view  of the  matter, we  do not  think the appellants are entitled to make any grievance on this score.      Now that  this legal ground has failed, the other three questions raised  by learned  counsel for the appellants may be examined. As 251 pointed out  in Nivedita Jain’s case the selection is at two stages. The Medical Council prescribed a percentage of marks as the  basic minimum  to  be  obtained  in  the  qualifying examination (conducted  by  the  University)  and  qualified candidates only  applied  for  admission.  Since  the  seats

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available  are   much  less   than  the  candidates  seeking admission.  a   further  selection   becomes  necessary   to eliminate candidates  in excess  of the available seats. The candidates  belonging   to  the  Scheduled  Castes  and  the Scheduled Tribes  who applied  for admission  and were to be subjected to  selection must  have secured appropriate marks in the  qualifying examination  and otherwise they could not have applied.  The plea  which is  raised before us, namely, that there  would be  an element  of estoppel and the action would be branded as arbitrary would certainly have arisen in [he case  of Nivedita  Jain (supra),  but the  Court did not find the  total abolition of the percentage qualification as either arbitrary or hit by rules of estoppel. Reservation is not in dispute The State government had really intended that 100 seats  should go  to the  candidates of Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes. When in the selection test that number of candidates  was not  available, the question of reduction of the  qualifying marks arose. In the facts of the case, we are not  prepared to  accept the  contention of  Dr. Singhvi that Government’s  action is  arbitrary. In  fact, the short affidavit filed  by the  respondents indicates clearly under what circumstances  the variation  was made. We do not think that there is any force in the plea of estoppel.      It is  not  disputed  that  after  the  percentage  was reduced in  the qualifying  standard all  the 68  seats have been filled  up by  Scheduled Castes  and  Scheduled  Tribes candidates and  teaching has  begun from  September. It is a fact that these 68 candidates are not before us as they have not been  impleaded. It  would not  be open  to us to cancel their admission  behind their back, nor would it be possible to require  the State  Government to create additional seats to accommodate the appellants therein.      Before we  part with the appeal we think it appropriate to indicate  that the  standard of medical profession should not be  compromised in  national interest.  There  has  been perceptible  fall   in  national   standards   and   general efficiency  of   the  professional  men.  While  it  is  not necessary for  us to  say anything  against reservation,  we approve of  the concern  shown by the Indian Medical Council that high  standards of  efficiency should be maintained and that can only be 252 possible if the State and the Council cooperates to maintain a high  standard. This  aspect should  be kept in view while guidelines are  prescribed for selection of students for the medical courses.  The impugned  Notification  of  the  State Government shows  that the  reduction is  confined for  this year. We  hope there would not be necessity for a repetition of this action.      The appeal  fails and is dismissed. We make no order as to costs. S.L.                                      Appeal dissmissed. 253