RUTIKA G. WADKAR Vs. STATE OF MAHARASHTRA

JUDGEMENT

(1.) Rule. The Petition, prima-facie presents an astonishing state of affairs. The Petitioner belongs to the OBC Mali category. As such, she was entitled to admission to the BAMS degree course for the Academic Year 2021-2022 in the 4th Respondent college namely the Swami Vivekananda Ayurvedic Medical College.

(2.) Her entire family has the necessary Caste Validity Certificates. After going through the admission process and appearing for counselling and the usual CAP rounds and the mop up rounds, private institutions were permitted to proceed with the institutional rounds around mid-May 2022. The Petitioner filed a physical application form on 6/5/2022 with the college. A merit list published a few days later showed the Petitioner was eligible for an OBC category seat. The Petitioner sought admission and was allotted an OBC category seat in the 4th Respondent college.

(3.) The procedure required the submission of some documents. Among these was a Caste Validity Certificate establishing that the Petitioner was in the OBC Reserved Category. At the time of admission the Petitioner had her Caste Certificate. Her own Caste Validity Certificate was not then available but the Petitioner's family members did have their Caste Validity Certificates.