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PETITIONER: OMBIR SINGH AND OTHERS ETC. ETC.

       Vs.

RESPONDENT: STATE OF  U.P.  AND ANOTHER  ETC.ETC.

DATE OF JUDGMENT30/07/1992

BENCH: KASLIWAL, N.M. (J) BENCH: KASLIWAL, N.M. (J) SHARMA, L.M. (J)

CITATION:  1993 AIR  975            1992 SCR  (3) 697  1993 SCC  Supl.  (2)  64 JT 1992 (4)   576  1992 SCALE  (2)105

ACT:      Education-Post-Graduate  Medical Entrance  Examination- Percentage  of marks prescribed for  admission-Legality  of- Recommendation  to  Government   to relax to  fill  up   the vacancies.      Constitution of India,  1950-Article  14-Post-Graduate Medical Entrance Examination-Different percentage  of  marks prescribed  for  students of general and  SC/ST  categories- Legality  of-Recommendation to Government to relax  to  fill up the  vacancies.

HEADNOTE:      The    writ-petitioners-doctors,  after  passing    the M.B.B.S. examination, appeared for the Post-Graduate Medical Entrance    Examination  in  the  year  1992.   They    were unsuccessful, as they    secured less than  50% marks, which were  necessary  for the  students of general  category  and 40%  marks for  SC/ST according to  the rules for  admission applicable for Post-Graduate  course.      The  present writ petitions were filed challenging  the rules for admission.      The  petitioners  contended  that as a  result  of  the application of the admission rule  a large number  of  seats remained   vacant  and in view of the observations  made  in Dr.  Ambesh  Kumar etc.  etc. v.  Principal,  LLRM   Medical College Meerut and Ors. etc. etc., [1984] 1 SCR  661 such  a situation  must  be avoided and the remaining  seats  should be  filled   up by applying different criteria;  that  there were  439 seats  available in the General category, out   of which  only  300   candidates   secured  minimum  qualifying marks,  i.e. 50% marks  and  139 seats  were  lying  vacant; that  in case of reserved  category for SC/St there were  96 seats out of which  only 18  candidates  secured 40% minimum qualifying  marks and as such 78  seats were  lying  vacant; that in all 217 seats were lying  vacant; that  there was  a great   dearth of Post-Graduate doctors in the country   and it  would  not only be a sheer wastage of  money  in  paying salaries and other emoluments to                                                     698 the  teachers  but  also in the maintenance  and  upkeep  of infra-structure  available  for  teaching  in  the   various

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disciplines of Post-Graduate Courses; and that it would  not only  be in the interest of the petitioners but also in  the national  interest,  if  the vacant  seats  were  filled  by lowering  the minimum percentage of qualifying marks in  the entrance examination;      Dismissing the writ petitions, this Court,      HELD:  1.01.So  for as the validity  of  the  admission rules fixing 50% for the general category candidates and 40% marks  for the SC/ST category  candidates to be obtained  at the  entrance  examination as minimum qualifying  marks  for being  eligible for admission  to the Post-Graduate  medical courses,   the same are not subject to any challenge. [700C]      1.02.  The rule laying down minimum   qualifying  marks for admission to post-Graduate medical courses is legal  and no exception can be taken to  the  same. [701B]      1.03. Once having held that the rule prescribed by  the State Government laying down minimum qualifying marks in the entrance  examination  is  valid and  the  State  Government having  followed the rule in  granting admission  in   Post- Graduate  courses,  it cannot be held that  such  action  is illegal.   There is no infringement of any legal right  much less  of any fundamental right of the petitioners.[703B]      Dr. Ambesh Kumar  etc. etc. v. Principal, LLRM  Medical College,  Meerut and Ors. etc.  etc., [1987] 1  S.C.R.  661, explained.      Ajay  Kumar  Agrawal and Others v. State  of U.P.   and others,  [1991] 1 S.C.C. 636 and State of Uttar  Pradesh and Others  v.  Dr.  Anupam Gupta etc.,   A.I.R.1992  S.C.  932, referred  to.      1.04.  The   rule  of  minimum   qualifying  marks  for admission   to  Post-Graduate courses was in vogue  for  the last many years and large number  of seats remained   vacant in earlier years also. [702 C]      1.05.  It  was for the State Government to  have  taken note  of  such situation and to have amended the  rules  for admission so as to fill all  the  seats available for  Post- Graduate courses. [702 D]      1.06.  The  State  Government is  recommended  to  take suitable steps                                                 699 for  redressing the long felt  grievance of the  doctors  to fill  up all the vacant seats for Post-Graduate courses  and which  would be a step in the larger public  interest  also. The  State  Government  may do so  for  admission  to  Post- Graduate  courses  for  1992 and  in that  case,  the  State Government would take immediate   steps without any loss  of time   so  that  the candidates may   also  join  the   1992 academic  session  for  Post-Graduate  studies  without  any disadvantage. [703D]      1.07.  The  State  Government would be free  to   issue fresh order relaxing the  requirement of minimum  marks   to such  extent  which may meet  the necessity  of  maintaining academic standards for admission to Post-Graduate Courses as well   as the regulations prescribed by the Medical  Council of  India in this regard.  This  would be perfectly   within the  powers  of  the  State Government  and  would   not  be violative  of  Article 14 of the Constitution.   The   above observations  relate only  in respect of the vacant seats of Post-Graduate  courses  of 1992 and not in relation  to  any vacancies  for the earlier years. [703F]

JUDGMENT:      ORIGINAL   JURISDICTION : Writ Petitions  (Civil)  Nos.

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451, 454, 525, 545 of 1992.      (Under Article 32 of the Constitution of India).      Yogeshwar  Prasad, Mrs. Rachna Gupta,  Prashant  Kumar, Pradeep  Misra, Sudhir  Kulshreshtra and Dr.  Neena  Raizada for the Petitioners.      Dr.  Ghatate,  R.B.  Misra, Vishwajit  Singh   Ajay  K. Agrawal for the Respondents.      The Judgment of the Court  was  delivered by      KASLIWAL, J.  All the above  writ petitions  have been filed  by   the  doctors who after  passing    the  M.B.B.S. examination, appeared for the Post-Graduate Medical Entrance Examination  (PGMEE) held  by the Lucknow University in  the year 1992,  but remained unsuccessful as they  secured  less than  50% marks which were necessary   for the  students  of general category and  40% marks for SC/ST according to   the rules  for admission  applicable for Post-Graduate   course. On  14.7.1992 we  passed a detailed order and so  far  as the  admission rules fixing 50% of the  marks to be obtained at the entrance examination as minimum qualifying marks  for admission   to  the  Post-Graduate  medical  courses     are concerned the                                                     700 same  were held to be legal and it was further held that  no exception  can  be  taken  to the  same.   It  was  however, contended on behalf of the  petitioners  that as  a   result of the application  of the aforesaid rule a large number  of seats  have remained vacant and in view of the  observations made  in  Dr. Ambesh Kumar etc. etc.,  v.  Principal,   LLRM Medical   College  Meerut  and Ors. etc. etc. [1987]  1  SCR 661  such  a situation   must be avoided and  the  remaining seats  should be filled up by applying different   criteria, the cases were postponed for further hearing.      We  have  heard  learned   cousel for the  parties  and have  thoroughly gone  through the  record.  So far  as  the validity  of the admission  rules fixing 50% marks  for  the general  category candidates  and 40% marks for  the   SC/ST category    candidates  to  be  obtained  at  the   entrance examination    as  minimum  qualifying  marks   for    being eligible  for   admission  to  the   Post-Graduate   medical courses,  the  same are not subject to any challenge  as  we have already  held the same to be legal  in our order  dated 14.7.1922.    Learned  counsel  for  the  petitioners   made strenuous  effort  to persuade us to take a different  view, but   they failed in the said attempt.  It  may be   further mentioned  that this Court in Ajay Kumar Agrawal and Others. v.  State of U.P. and others, [1991] 1 SCC 636 observed   as under :-          "It  is  not disputed that in Uttar   Pradesh   the          prevailing practice was a 50 per cent for  allowing          Post    Graduate   Study  to  doctors   with   MBBS          qualifications   but   taking   their    University          examination  as  the  base  without  any   separate          selection test, it is not  the  case of any of  the          parties  before  us that the selection is  bad  for          any other reason.  We are of the view that it is in          general   interest  that the 50 per cent   cut-off          base as  has  been adopted should be sustained."      The   matter  again came up for  consideration   before this  Court   and in State of Uttar Pradesh and  Others   v. Dr.  Anupam Gupta  etc., AIR 1992 S.C. 932, it  was held  as under :           "Thus   it  could   be  seen  that   this    Court          consistently laid down the criteria for  conducting          entrance  examination to the post  graduate  degree          and diploma courses in Medicine  and the best among

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        the  talented  candidates  would  be  eligible  for          admission.  50% cut off marks was also  held to  be          valid  to  achieve   excellence  in  post  graduate          speciality.  Accordingly we uphold the                                                        701          prescription  of  50%  cut  off  marks  to  general          candidates  and  40% to SCs and STs  together  with          1.65%  weightage  of total marks i.e. 50  marks  in          total in entrance examination as constitutional and          valid".      Thus,  we further hold that any challenge to the  above rule laying down minimum percentage of marks for eligibility for  admission  to Post-Graduate courses is no  longer  res- integra.      Learned  counsel  appearing for  the  petitioners  then submitted that admittedly there were 439 seats available  in the  General  category,  out of which  only  300  candidates secured  minimum  qualifying marks i.e. 50%  marks  and  139 seats  are  lying  vacant.  Similarly in  case  of  reserved category for SC/ST there were 96 seats out of which only  18 candidates secured 40% minimum qualifying marks and as  such 78  seats are lying vacant.  It has been contended  that  in all  217  seats  are  lying  vacant  and  large  number   of Professors  and Readers meant for imparting teaching in  the various  disciplines of Post-Graduate courses  shall  remain idle  and the Government shall have to  unnecessarily  spend large  funds  for  meeting their emoluments.   It  was  also submitted  that  there is a great  dearth  of  Post-Graduate doctors  in  the country and it would not only  be  a  sheer wastage of money in paying salaries and other emoluments  to the  teachers  but  also in the maintenance  and  upkeep  of infra-structure  available  for  teaching  in  the   various disciplines  of Post-Graduate Courses. It has  been  further submitted  that it would not only be in the interest of  the petitioners but also in the national interest if the  vacant seats  are  filled  by lowering the  minimum  percentage  of qualifying  marks in the entrance examination. It  has  been submitted that the number of seats lying vacant is not small but  it  is  large being 217 out of  the  total  535  seats. Learned  counsel for the petitioners is this  regard  placed reliance on the following observations made by this Court in Dr. Ambesh Kumar etc. etc. v. Principal LLRM Medical College Meerut and Ors. etc. etc., [1987] 1 SCR 661.          "It is pertinent to mention in this connection that          the  number  of  seats  allotted  to  each  of  the          prescribed courses is on the basis of two seats per          professor  and there is a crying necessity  in  the          State  for more experts in various  disciplines  in          Medicine  and Surgery etc.  It is incumbent on  the          State  Government  to  see  that  all  these  seats          earmarked for each of these disciplines or  courses          are filled up.  It appears from Annexure D to the                                                        702          petition  in  C.A. No. 6119 of 1983  that  quite  a          considerable number of seats in various disciplines          were kept vacant as the applicants did not  fulfill          the  eligibility qualification framed by the  State          Government  by its aforesaid order and as a  result          several Professors and Assistant Professors who are          meant  for imparting teaching in these  disciplines          were kept idle though a considerable fund had to be          expended  for meeting their emoluments.  It is  for          the State to consider and to see that the seats are          filled  up in all the disciplines and they are  not          left   vacant  in  spite  of  a  large  number   of

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        applicants  applying for admission in  the  various          disciplines and the State Government has to  evolve          such criteria of eligibility that all the seats  in          different M.D., M.S. degree and diploma courses are          filled up".      We  have  given  our thoughtful  consideration  to  the aforesaid  submission.  It may be noted that  the  aforesaid rule  of  minimum qualifying marks for  admission  to  Post- Graduate  courses was in vogue for the last many  years  and large number of seats remained vacant in earlier years also. It  was for the State Government to have taken note of  such situation and to have amended the rules for admission so  as to  fill all the seats available for Post-Graduate  courses. So  far  as any mandamus or direction to be  given  by  this Court  is concerned, we refrain from doing so  because  this Court has repeatedly held that the rule laying down  minimum qualifying  marks  for admission  to  Post-Graduate  medical courses is legal and no exception can be taken to the  same. Even in Dr. Ambesh Kumar’s case (supra) the rule laying down minimum  of  55%  and  52% marks  in  MBBS  respectively  of admission  to Post-Graduate degree and diploma  courses  was held  to be valid.  An argument was raised in the  aforesaid case  that  the State Government had no power  to  lay  down further  eligibility qualification for being considered  for admission  in the Post-Graduate courses, in addition to  the eligibility criteria laid down by the Medical Council in its regulations  but the aforesaid contention was negatived  and it was held as under :-          "The  order in question merely specifies a  further          eligibility qualification for being considered  for          selection   for  admission  to  the   post-graduate          courses   (degree  and diploma)  in  the   Medical          Colleges  in  the  State  in  accordance  with  the          criteria laid down by Indian Medical Council.  This          does  not in any way encroach upon the  Regulations          that  have  been  framed under  the  provisions  of          Section 33 of the Indian Medical Council Act.                                                        703          On  the other hand in order to promote and  further          the determination of standards in institutions  for          higher  education,  the State Government  who  runs          these  colleges provide an  additional  eligibility          qualification."      Thus, we are clearly of the view that once having  held that the rule prescribed by the State Government laying down minimum  qualifying  marks in the  entrance  examination  is valid and the State Government having followed the aforesaid rule  in  granting admission in  Post-Graduate  courses,  it cannot  be  held that such action is illegal.  There  is  no infringement of any legal right much less of any fundamental right of the petitioners.      We  can  only recommend that the State  Government  may take suitable step for redressing the long felt grievance of the  doctors  to  fill up all the  vacant  seats  for  Post- Graduate  courses  and which would be a step in  the  larger public  interest also.  The State Government may do  so  for admission  to  Post-Graduate courses for 1992  and  in  that case,  the  State  Government  would  take  immediate  steps without  any  loss of time so that the candidates  may  also join  the  1992 academic session for  Post-Graduate  studies without  any disadvantage. It is further made clear that  in doing  so such candidates who having secured more  than  50% marks  and  having already been  allotted  the  specialities would  not  be disturbed in any manner.   The  vacant  seats would however be filled strictly in accordance with merit in

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the entrance examination and according to the combined merit list  of  the  whole  State  of  Uttar  Pradesh.  The  State Government  would be free to issue fresh order relaxing  the requirement  of minimum marks to such extent which may  meet the   necessity  of  maintaining  academic   standards   for admission  to Post-Graduate courses as well  as  regulations the  prescribed  by  the Medical Council of  India  in  this regard.   This, in our view, would be perfectly  within  the powers of the State Government and would not be violative of Article  14  of  the Constitution.  The  above  observations relate only in respect of the vacant seats of  Post-Graduate courses of 1992 and not in relation to any vacancies for the earlier   years  of  1990  or  1991.   With  the   aforesaid observations,  we dismiss all these petitions with no  order as to costs.  The application for intervention No.2 in  Writ Petition No.454 of 1992 also stands dismissed automatically. V.P.R.                                  Petitions dismissed.                                                        704