The Madras High Court has directed the government of Tamil Nadu to submit information on medical seat vacancies in the state to the Medical Council of India. According to one report in the Times of India, on Saturday, Justice SS Sundar issued instructions to submit intake details of government medical colleges and their admission capacity in the state to the Medical Council of India with a view of to 'accommodating aggrieved students' to government-run institutions.
The newspaper reports that the court was listening to a matter relating to a group of 103 medical students of the Ponnaiyah Ramajayam Medical Sciences College in Kancheepuram. The court’s directive was based on a clutch of writ petitions from SU Archana and 102 others, second year students of the now defunct medical college.
The students reportedly moved the High Court after their college ran into trouble over recognition under the Medical Council of India. The court had earlier told the Tamil Nadu government to seek permission from the Medical Council of India to accommodate the students in other colleges.
Initially, the court had directed the Tamil Nadu government to write to the Medical Council of India for permission to accommodate the students in other self-financing private institutions.
According to one report in The News Indian Express, the court had also ordered the Board of Governors of the Medical Council of India to submit a draft plan for accommodating students to other colleges.
According to the newspaper, Justice Sundar reportedly said, "The Board of Governors, either shall pass appropriate orders or come forward with a scheme or proposal within two weeks."
While no communication had been forthcoming from the Council on the issue, its counsel told the court that they preferred the 103 students be accommodated into government institutions, as opposed to private ones where they may run into the problem of recognition once again.
The case has been posted for further hearing on November 16.