http://JUDIS.NIC.IN SUPREME COURT OF INDIA Page 1 of 8  

PETITIONER: SHRI RITESH R. SAH

       Vs.

RESPONDENT: DR. Y.L. YAMUL & ORS.

DATE OF JUDGMENT:       15/02/1996

BENCH: G.B. PATTANAIK (J) BENCH: G.B. PATTANAIK (J) RAMASWAMY, K.

CITATION:  1996 AIR 1378            1996 SCC  (3) 253  JT 1996 (2)   495        1996 SCALE  (2)340

ACT:

HEADNOTE:

JUDGMENT:                       J U D G M E N T PATTANAIK,J.      This Writ Petition under Article 32 of the Constitution of India  raises the  question whether a candidate belonging to the  Scheduled Caste  or any other reserved category even if is entitled to be selected for selection for admission in the open  competition on  the basis of his own merit yet can he be  counted against the quota meant for reserved category or he  will be  treated as an open competition candidate The aforesaid question arises because of the rules for selection to MBBS  and BDS  course for  the year 1995-96 issued by the Government of  Maharashtra  in  the  Department  of  Medical Education and  Drugs. The  petitioner admittedly  belongs to the reserved  category. The petitioners case in the nutshell is that  respondent Nos.  5 to  36 belonging to the reserved category though  could have  been admitted  on the  basis of marks secured  in open  merit. yet  they  were  admitted  as against the reversed category and as a result the petitioner was excluded  from getting  admission into the MPH,S course. These is  no denial  to the aforesaid assertion of fact. But the stand of the State Government as well as respondent Nos. 5 to  36 is  that if  the respondents  are allowed  to  take admission  in  open  merit  then  it  will  work  out  gross injustice and  will be more harsh to them as they cannot get admitted to  the colleges  of their  choice even though they have secured  much higher  marks  than  the  other  reserved category candidate  and the  candidates securing lower marks will get  the premium  of being  admitted to the colleges of their choice.  Before embarking  upon any  discussion on the point of  controversy  between  the  parties,  it  would  be appropriate for  us to  notice some  of the  clauses of  the Rules framed  by  the  Government  of  Maharashtra  for  the purpose of  selection of  MBBS course and BDS course for the year 1995-96.  The Preamble  of the  Rule indicates  that it purports to  give effect  to the  prescribed scheme  of this

http://JUDIS.NIC.IN SUPREME COURT OF INDIA Page 2 of 8  

Court given  in the  form of  a directive  in Unnikrishnan’s case and  the Rules  are intended  to be  applicable for the year 1995-96.  Under Clause  2.0.1 The  Director of  Medical Education and  Research  has  been  appointed  as  Competent Authority for Selection to Ist year M.B.B.S. Courses.      Under Rule 2.0.2 the Competent Authority is required to implement the  Rules through  the Designated Authorities and would also  act as  an Appellate  Authority  to  dispose  of representations submitted by the candidates.      Rules 2.0.3  provides that  the designated  Authorities are these specified under Annexure‘ A’.      Under  Rule   2.0.4  the   Designated  Authorities  are required to  distribute application forms, receive filled in forms  and   scrutinize  the  same  and  publish  University areawise (regional) merit list.      Under Rule  4.1.0 fifteen  per cent  of the  seats  are yearmarked for  candidates of All India Entrance Examination and remaining  85% of  seats will  form the  denominator for calculation of  number to  seats under various subcategories at the colleges.      Under Rule  4.1.1 Out of the remaining seats. all seats at Govt.  colleges and 50% of seats at private colleges will be treated  as free  seats and  50% of  the seats in private colleges are treated as payment seats.      Clause 4.1.3.2  provides that  out of  the seats at the disposal of  the  competent  Authority,  reserved  seats  as specified under  Rule 4.1.3.3.2 will have to be excluded and the rest should be available for Open Merit category.      Under Rule 4.l.3.3.2 70% of the seats will be filled up by the  Designated Authority from amongst the applicants who have passed  the 12th  standard (or  equivalent) examination from  the   schools/colleges  situated   in  the   concerned University area  as per  rule. Balance 30% of the seats will be filled  in from  amongst the  candidates from  the  State Merit list by the Competent Authority under Rule 4.1.3.3.1.      The selection  process has been indicated under Rule 8. Under Rule  8.0.3.0., the Competent Authority is required to fill up  the 30% seats as provided under Rule 4.1.3.3.1 from the State Merit List in discending order of merit as well as taking into  account the  choices offered  by each applicant subject to  availability of  seats and  admissibility of his choice.      The procedure  to be adopted by the Competent Authority to fill  up the 30% quota from the State Merit List has been indicated from Rule 8.0.3.0 to 8.0.3.7.      Rule 8.0.4.1.  provides the  procedure and method to be adopted for considering and admitting candidates against 70% quota. It  is with this rule we are concerned in the present case and,  therefore, the said rule is extracted hereinbelow in extenso:- 8.0.4.1. FOR SEATS IN 70 PER CEWNT QUOTA:      "After going  through the procedure      laid  down   in  para   8.0.3   the      applicants who are not selected for      the selection  process of  seats of      30 per  cent quota  are required to      remain pleasant  for counseling and      interview  to   be  held   by   the      Designated Authority. The applicant      will be  called as  per  his  merit      position and  he will  be shown the      Colleges  where   the   seats   are      available. He  will have  to  given      his  choices  in  writing  for  the      allotment of  seats. the applicants

http://JUDIS.NIC.IN SUPREME COURT OF INDIA Page 3 of 8  

    in the  Regional Merit  list  which      include  both   open  and  Backward      class applicants  will  called  for      interview first. Those belonging to      reserved  categories   of  Backward      class will  be called  subsequently      for  selection  against  the  beats      reserved   exclusively    for   the      Backward  class   applicants.   The      Designated Authority  will  prepare      the  Regional   Final  Merit   List      showing the  choices thus  given at      the time of interview and thus will      display  the  said  Regional  Final      Merit List.  This list will be sent      by the  Designated Authority to the      Competent Authority  at Bombay. The      Competent Authority  will carry out      selection to  the 70 per cent seats      of the  recognized medical colleges      by  operating  the  Regional  Final      Merit list  as per  the  merit  and      availability of  a seat  as per the      choice order of the applicant. This      Selection list will be displayed on      Notice  Board   by  the  respective      Designated     Authorities.     The      selected  candidate  will  have  to      attend the office of the designated      Authorities on the date indicate to      collect his  selection order and to      take  previsional   admission.   No      separate intimation will be sent to      the   selected    candidates.   The      applicants whose name appear in the      selection   list    will   not   be      considered for subsequent procedure      of selection  and  his  name  shall      automatically  stand  deleted  from      the Regional  Final Merit  List. In      other words the names of applicants      who are  selected  against  70  per      cent  quota  as  per  the  Regional      Merit List  will be  taken out from      the  Regional  Merit  List.  It  is      clarified  that   these  applicants      will be  eligible for the admission      to the  Payment seats. The selected      candidates   will   have   to   pay      immediately the  prescribed fees to      the representatives of the colleges      who will  be present  at the office      of the  Designated Authority on the      date prescribed  and  published  by      the Designated Authority. This will      confirm  that   the  candidate  has      taken   admission    against    the      available and  allotted seat. Those      candidate who do not join or remain      absent and  fail to pay the fees or      refuse admission,  such seats  will      be   treated    s    dropout/casual      vacancies. The waiting list will be      operated.  for   making   selection      against     such     dropout/casual

http://JUDIS.NIC.IN SUPREME COURT OF INDIA Page 4 of 8  

    vacancies.      The applicant who remain absent for      any reason  whatsoever will  not be      considered for  allotment of  seats      for   that    particular   process.      However,  such   an  applicant  can      remain   present   for   subsequent      processes of selection."      The aforesaid  provision indicates  that candidates who could not  secure admission  against 30%  State level  seats will then  be called  as per his merit position, and he will be told  the colleges where the seats are available. He will then be  called upon  to give  choice  in  writing  for  his allotment. The  candidates in the Regional Merit List. which includes both  open and  backward class  will be  called for interview and  those belonging  to  reserved  categories  of backward class  will be  called subsequently  for  selection against the  seats reserved  exclusively  for  the  backward class applicants.  It  is  this  provision  which  is  being objected to  by  the  petitioner  belonging  to  a  reserved category on  the ground  that it affects, and frustrates the very purpose  of the  Constitutional  mandate  enshrined  in Article 15(4)  of the Constitution of India. A candidate who is otherwise  entitled to  be admitted to the MBBS course on the basis  of his  open merit though belonging to a reserved category if  is adjusted  against a  seat meant for reserved category  then  the  purpose  of  reservation  will  not  be achieved.  We   find  sufficient   force  in  the  aforesaid contention raised by Dr. Dhanwan, the learned senior counsel for the  petitioner. But  Mr. Nageshwar Rao, learned counsel appearing for  respondent Nos.  3 to  36, who also belong to the reserved  category and have given their choice for being considered against  the seats  meant for  reserved  category argued that if these persons who otherwise have qualified to be admitted  under the open category would not be allowed to exercise  their   option  for  being  admitted  against  the reserved seats  then will  be forced  to take  admission  in either  private   colleges  or   some  colleges   having  no reputation and  will be  debarred from  getting admission to the well-known and reputed colleges of the State even though they are  found to be more meritorious than others, like the petitioner who  even could not qualify to be admitted to any of the  colleges. In  order to appreciate this contention it would be  necessary for  us  to  find  out  as  to  how  the selection is  made. In  a college where there are 100 seats, 15 seats  remained reserved  for  the  candidates  who  come through All  India Competitive  Test to  be allotted  by the Govt. of  India, out  of remaining  85 seats  50%  are  kept reserved for  different reserved categories and 50% remained for open  market in  accordance with merit. From out of open market seats,  say, in  the aforesaid  illustration 30%  are distributed from  the State  level candidates and 70% in the Regional level.  It is  while considering  the candidates at Regional level,  option is  asked for  from  the  candidates individually of  their choice  and then  allotment is  made. Therefore, at  that stage  if a  candidate belonging  to the reserved category  is considered  by virtue of his merit and is admitted, then it is just possible he may not be admitted to any  Government colleges  and would  be admitted  into  a private college  whereas as  against the  50% seats reserved for reserved category, persons down below the list belonging to the  reserved category,  will be admitted and undoubtedly this will cause undue hardship to the meritorious candidates amongst the  reserved category and will be a premium for the less meritorious candidates amongst the reserved category.

http://JUDIS.NIC.IN SUPREME COURT OF INDIA Page 5 of 8  

    There cannot  be any  dispute with the proposition that if a  candidate is  entitled to  be admitted on the basis of his own  merit then  such admission  should not  be  counted against the  quota reserved for Scheduled Caste or Scheduled Tribe or  any other  reserved category  since that  will  be against the  Constitutional  mandate  enshrined  in  Article 16(4).      In a  case Indra  Sawhney &  Ors. vs.  Union of India & Ors. (1992  Suppl. (3)  Supreme Court  Cases 217),  commonly known as  Mandal’s case,  this Court  in paragraph  811 held thus:-      "In this  connection it  is well to      remember  that   the   reservations      under  Article 16(4) do not operate      like a communal reservation. It may      well  happen   that  some   members      belonging to. say, Scheduled Castes      get   selected    in    the    open      competition field  on the  basis of      their own  merit; they  will not be      counted against  the quota reserved      for Scheduled  Castes; they will be      treated   as    open    competition      candidates."      In R.K.  Sabharwal vs. State of Punjab (1995) 2 Supreme Court Cases,  745  the  Constitution  Bench  of  this  Court considered the  question of  appointment and  promotion  and roster points vis a vis reservation and held thus:-      "When a  percentage of  reservation      is fixed in respect of a particular      cadre and  the roster indicates the      reverse  points, it has to be taken      that the posts shown at the reserve      points  are   to  be   filled  from      amongst the  members of     reserve      categories   and   the   candidates      belonging to  the general  category      are not  entitled to  be considered      for the   reserved  posts.  On  the      other  hand  the  reserve  category      candidates can compete for the non-      reserve posts  and in the  event of      their appointment to the said posts      their number  cannot be  added  and      taken   into    consideration   for      working  out    the  percentage  of      reservation. Article  16(4) of  the      Constitution of  India permits  the      State  Government   to   make   and      provision for  the  reservation  of      appointments or  posts in favour of      any  Backward   Class  of  citizens      which, in  the     opinion  of  the      State if not adequately represented      in the Services under the State. It      is, therefore,  incumbent on    the      State   Government   to   reach   a      conclusion   that    the   Backward      Class/Classes   for    which    the      reservation   is    made   is   not      adequately represented in the State      Services. While  doing so the State      Government  may   take  the   total      population of a particular Backward      Class and its representation in the

http://JUDIS.NIC.IN SUPREME COURT OF INDIA Page 6 of 8  

    State  Services.   When  the  State      Government      after   doing   the      necessary   exercise    make    the      reservation and provides the extent      of  percentage   of  posts   to  be      reserved for    the  said  Backward      Class then the percentage has to be      followed strictly.   The prescribed      percentage  cannot   be  varied  or      changed simply  because some of the      members of  the Backward Class have      already   been   appointed/promoted      against  the   general  seats.   As      mentioned above  the  roster  point      which is  reserved for  a  Backward      Class has  to be  filled by  way of      appointment/promotion of the member      of  the   said  class.  No  general      category candidate can be appointed      against a  slot     in  the  roster      which is  reserved for the Backward      Class. The  fact that  considerable      number of  members  of  a  Backward      Class have  been appointed/promoted      against general  seats in the State      Services may  be a  relevant factor      for the  State Government to review      the    question    of    continuing      reservation  for the said class but      so long  as the  instructions/rules      providing  certain   percentage  of      reservations   for   the   backward      Classes are operative the same have      to be  followed. Despite any number      of  appointees/promotees  belonging      to the Backward Classes against the      general category  posts  the  given      percentage has  to be  provided  in      addition."      In Union of India v. Virpal Singh Chauhan [(1995) 6 SSC 684 at  705] it  has been  held that  While determining  the number of  posts reserved for Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes, the  candidates belonging  to reserved  category but selected/promoted on the rule of merit Land not by virtue of rule of  reservation]  shall  not  be  counted  as  reserved category candidates.      In Ajay  Kumar Singh  & Ors.  v. State of Bihar, & Ors. [(1994) 4  SCC 401]  a three-Judge Bench considered the same question for  admission in  post graduate medical course. It was contended  that once the candidates seeking admission to post  graduate  medical  course  have  already  enjoyed  the benefit of  reservation at  the state  of their admission to M.B.B.S, course,  they are  not eligible  for  admission  to post-graduate medical  course, as  reserved candidates.  The contention that  provision for  reservation at  the stage of admission to  post graduate  medical course  is uncalled for and  contrary   to  public  interest,  cannot  be  accepted. Firstly, the  assumption on the basis of which this argument is addressed  is its  untenable. A  candidate who is seeking reservation at  the  state  of  admission  to  post-graduate medical course  may not  have  availed  of  the  benefit  of reservation at  the stage of admission to M.B.B.S. course as he would  have been admitted on his own merit in the general quota [open competition quota but because the competition at the level  of  post-graduate  medical  course  is  extremely

http://JUDIS.NIC.IN SUPREME COURT OF INDIA Page 7 of 8  

acute, he  may have  to seek  the  benefit  of  reservation. Therefore, the  assumption that a student seeking benefit of reservation at  the stage  of  admission  to  post  graduate medical  course   has  already   enjoyed  the   benefit   of reservation  once   previously  is   not  necessarily  true. Secondly, there  is no  rule under  Article 15  [4]  that  a student cannot  be given  the benefit of reservation at more than one  stage during  the course  of his education career. Where to  draw the line is not a matter of law but a  matter of policy  for the  State to  be evolved keeping in view the larger interests  of the  society and various other relevant factors. Unless  the line  drawn by the State if found to be unsustainable under  the relevant  article, the court cannot interfere. With  regard to the observations in Indra Sawhney case in  para 834  and 839  relied upon  to contend that the reservation for  admission at  the  post-graduate  level  is unconstitutional, it was clarified in para 8 that "the Court not  speaking   of  admission   to  specialities  and  super specialities, Moreover, MS or MD are not super-specialities. in any  event, this  Court did  not say  that they  were not permissible". The argument that reservation at post-graduate level is detrimental to the interests of the society was not countenanced holding  that "no  one will be passed unless he acquires the  requisite level  of proficiency. Secondly, the academic performance  is  not  guarantee  of  efficiency  in practice. We have seen both in law and medicine that persons with brilliant  academic record  do not  succeed in practice while students who were supposed to be less intelligent come out successful  in profession/practice.  It  is,  therefore, wrong to  presume that a doctor with good academic record is bound to prove a better doctor in practice. It may happen or may not".  In view  of the legal position enunciated by this Court in  the aforesaid cases the conclusion is irresistible that a  student who  is entitled to be admitted on the basis of merit  though belonging  to a reserved category cannot be considered  to   be  admitted  against  seats  reserved  for reserved category.  But at  the  same  time  the  provisions should be  so  made  that  it  will  not  work  out  to  the disadvantage of such candidate and he may not be placed at a more  disadvantageous   position   than   the   other   less meritorious  reserved  category  candidates.  The  aforesaid objective  can   be  achieved   if  after  finding  out  the candidates   from amongst  the reserved  category who  would otherwise come  in the open merit list and then asking their option for  admission into the different colleges which have been kept  reserved for reserved category and thereafter the cases  of  less  meritorious  reserved  category  candidates should be  considered and  they will  be allotted  seats  in whichever colleges  the seats  should be available. In other words, while  a  reserved  category  candidate  entitled  to admission on  the basis of his merit will have the option of taking admission to the colleges where a specified number of seats have  been kept  reserved for  reserved  category  but while computing  the percentage  of reservation  he will  be deemed to  have been  admitted as  a open category candidate and not  as a reserved category candidate. The Full Bench of the Bombay   High  Court in Ashwin Prafulla Pimpalwar & Ors. v.   State of  Maharashtra [W.P.  2469/90] decided  on  16th September,  1991  held  that  selection  of  candidates  for admission to  post-gradual medical course in colleges run by or under  the control  of  the  State  Government  shall  be regulated in accordance with the prescription in that behalf contained in  the rule  for selection  of the candidates for admission to  the post-graduate  medical course  notified by the Government. The contention that the candidates belonging

http://JUDIS.NIC.IN SUPREME COURT OF INDIA Page 8 of 8  

to the backward classes admitted to M.B.B.S. course selected as general  candidates are  not eligible  for  admission  as reserved candidates  or for  scholarship etc.  and also  for admission  to   post-graduate  medical  course  as  reserved candidates, is illegal for and in negation of Article 15(4). The memorandum  issued by the Government on the basis of the statement made  by the  Minister of  Health,  Government  of Maharashtra  was   placed  before   us  showing   that  such candidates are  entitled to all the benefits though admitted on merit  basis.  The  said  statement  is  consistent  with Article  15(4).   Therefore,  the  candidates  belonging  to backward classes  but selected  as  general  candidates  for admission to  graduate or  postgraduate medical  course  are entitled  to  the  concessions  or  scholarships  and  other benefits according to the rules or instructions of the State Government or the Central Government as the case may be. The admission to  the Medical  Colleges for  the year 1995-96 in the State  of Maharashtra  is already  over and  we are  not inclined to  interfere with  the admissions already made but we do  commend that  while deciding and publishing the Rules for admission in the next academic session. directions given in this  judgment should  be borne  in mind  and  the  rules should be  made accordingly. In view of our conclusion, and- admittedly the  Authorities having  admitted the  candidates belonging to  the reserved category only against seats meant for reserved  category even  though they were entitled to be admitted on  the bais  of their  merit, the  petitioner  who could have  been otherwise  admitted, has  be debarred  from taking admission. Since the petitioner is a single applicant before us, we direct that the petitioner be admitted to any one of  the colleges  where be can be so admitted o the MBBS course where  seat is  still available  and if  no  seat  is available then  he may be admitted by increasing one seat in any one  of the  colleges. It may be made clear that, if the petitioner is desirous of being admitted to any of the Medical colleges  in pursuance of this Court’s order then he should approach  the Designated  Authority within  two weeks from today  and the  Designated  Authority  will  then  take appropriate  action   within  two   weeks  thereafter.   The designated authority will decide the college to which the petitioner will be admitted.      Needless to  mention that  if there  is any prohibition under any University Regulation for such admission since the course has  already  started,  such  prohibition  should  be condoned and admission should be given.      We make  it clear  that  it  is  not  open  for  others belonging to  reserved category.  who might have applied for admission to  the MBBS  course for  this year  to  make  any application either in this Court or in Bombay High Court and any such  application should  not be entertained. But we are inclined to  issue directions  in favour  of the  petitioner since in  course of hearing in another case in writ Petition No. 3694  of 1995  the State  itself gave  admission to  the petitioner therein.      The Writ  Petition  is  accordingly  allowed  with  the aforesaid observations. There will be no order  as to costs.