CH RAMAKRISHNA RAO Vs. STATE OF ANDHRA PRADESH

JUDGEMENT

(1.) The petitioner is a Post-Graduate in General Medicine from Medical College at Guntur and he completed the said course in September, 1997 in first attempt. The petitioner completed his MDBS degree also from the same College in the year 1980. It is stated that unlike other examinations, the second respondent-University (NTR University of Health Sciences, at Vijayawada) does not grant any percentage of marks in MD and on the other hand, the results were announced on the basis of grading, namely, A, B, C and D. The subjects in MD course are divided into four parts and to get through the examination one has to necessarily secure more than two grades either 'A' or 'B'. If a candidate gets two or more 'C' grades, the candidate is deemed to have been failed in the examination and consequently he/she has to once again appear for the examination. The petitioner secured two 'A' grades and two 'B' grades, whereas third respondent secured 'B' grade in all four parts.

(2.) Pursuant to the notification issued by the second respondent-University for admission into Super Specialty Courses, the petitioner, third respondent and other eligible candidates appeared for the entrance test conducted on 8-5-2002. In the entrance test, the petitioner and third respondent seemed to have secured equal marks. It is to be seen that the requisite qualification for admission into Super Specialty Course is Post-Graduation i.e., MD/MS. When the two candidates get equal marks in the entrance examination, as per Regulation 7(f) of the Schedule and Regulations for admission into Super Specialty (Second PG) Courses in the Medical Colleges affiliated to the NTR University of Health Sciences (for short 'the Regulations'), preference should be given to the student who secured higher marks in MBBS course. It is stated that the third respondent completed MBBS Course in the year 1980 by securing 60.81% marks and passed MD in General Medicine in third attempt in the year 1996, whereas the petitioner completed his MBBS Course in the year 1980 and MD in General Medicine in September, 1997 in first attempt. Therefore, it is stated that by any stretch of imagination it can never be contended by the respondent-University that the third respondent is more meritorious than the petitioner. It is further stated that the very purpose of conducting entrance examination and fixing the eligibility criteria for admission into Super Specialty Course is frustrated by giving unnatural interpretation to Regulation 7(f). Hence, the present Writ Petition is filed questioning the validity and legality of Regulation 7(f) of he Regulations of the second respondent- University as contrary to Section 3 of the A.P. Educational Institutions (Regulation of Admission and Prohibition of Capitation Fee) Act, 1983 and the Rules made thereunder. He also sought for a consequential direction to the second respondent-University to consider his case for admission into MD (Neurology) Course in Osmania Medical College, Hyderabad for the academic year 2002-2003.

(3.) It is submitted by the learned counsel for the petitioner that Section 3 of the A.P. Educational Institutions (Regulation of Admissions and Prohibition of Capitation Fee) Act, 1983 (for short 'the Act') regulates the admission into educational institutions and it provides that admission to the educational institutions shall be either on the marks obtained in the qualifying examination or on the basis of ranking assigned in the entrance test conducted by such authority and in such manner as may be prescribed. The first respondent-State Government issued Rules in G.O.Ms. No. 740, Medical and Health dt. 22-11-1983, for admissions into Super-Specialty Courses, known as A.P. Regulation of Admission to Super Specialties in Medical Colleges Rules, 1983 (for short 'the Rules'). Rule 7 of the said Rules deals with method of selection and under sub-rule (4) thereof, while fixing the eligibility for Super Speciality course, preference has to be given to the marks obtained by a candidate in MBBS course, if two candidates secured equal ranks. Therefore, the learned Counsel for the petitioner submits that the Rules framed by the first respondent are contrary to Section 3 of the Act. Regulation 7(f) of the second respondent-University provides that if two candidates got equal marks in the entrance test, marks obtained in MBBS up to two decimal places shall be taken into consideration for fixing the merit of the candidates and further, in case of equality of marks in entrance test and percentage of marks in MBBS, the marks obtained in final MBBS upto two decimal places shall be taken into consideration for fixing the merit of the candidates. Therefore, the learned Counsel for the petitioner submits that Regulation 7(f) of the second respondent- University is also contrary to Section 3 of the Act. If it is the manner and method of the second Respondent-University to award grades in MD course, it should have been included in its Regulation 7(f), instead of giving preference to the marks obtained in MBBS Degree, which is a basic qualification for admission into MD Course, where as MD is the basic qualification for admission into DM course. He also submitted that in other Universities in the Country, when there is tie between two candidates in getting equal ranks in the entrance examination for admission into DM course, the marks obtained in the qualifying examination i.e. MD will be given preference. In support of his contention, the learned Counsel for the petitioner relied upon the Rules framed by the Nizam Institute of Medical Sciences, Hyderabad for Admission into Super Speciality Courses and Rule 6 whereof provides that if two candidates get equal marks in the Entrance Test, the fixing of the merit of the candidates should be (i) A candidate who passed MD/MS in the first attempt or with less number of attempts will be given preference (ii) if there is a tie, the candidate who secure higher marks in final MBBS examination will be given preference and (iii) if there is still a tie, the candidate who secured higher marks in Medicine in MBBS examination for Medical specialities and higher marks secured in Surgery in MBBS examination for Surgical Specialities will be given preference. He also drawn my attention to the Regulations framed by the University of Delhi, wherein under Regulation (4), the procedure for breaking tie of marks in the merit of Written Test is provided, stating that (i) the candidate who has passed the qualifying examination (MD/MS) in the first attempt will be given preference for admission (ii) if the candidates in the tie of marks have passed the qualifying examination (MD/MS) Examination in first attempt, then the candidate who has secured more marks in the final profession MBBS examination will be given preference for admission, (iii) if the candidates in the tie of marks have also equal marks in the final professional MBBS Examination, then the candidate older in age will be given preference for admission. The learned Counsel for the petitioner also placed reliance on the method and practice followed by the Post Graduate Institute of Medical Education & Research, Chandigarh for Admission into Post Doctoral/Post Gradus Medical Courses, where in it is mantioned that if two or more candidates obtain equal marks in the entrance examination, then inter se merit for selection shall be determined on the basis that (i) a candidate who has made more attempts in passing the various professional MBBS/BDS examination shall rank junior to a candidate who has made less attempts; (ii) if the attempts made in passing in the various MD/MS/MBBS/BDS professional examination are also the same then a candidate who has obtained higher marks in the final MBBS/BDS examination shall rank senior to a candidate who has obtained lower marks and (iii) If the attempts made in passing MD/MS/MBBS/BDS professional examination as also the marks obtained in MBBS/BDS final professional are the same, then a candidate senior in age shall rank senior to a candidate who is junior in age. The learned Counsel for the petitioner also drawn my attention to the Regulation XI of the Tamilnadu Government Medical Colleges, wherein it is provided that in case of two or more candidates obtain equal ranks in the total aggregate of 100 marks, the inter se merit of such candidate shall be determined on the basis of (a) marks obtained in the entrance examination (b) least number of appearances in the Post graduate examination and (c) Candidate older in age will be preference over younger candidate. The learned Counsel for the petitioner, therefore, contends that since all the Universities in the entire state are strictly governed by Act 5 of 1983, the differentiation in regulations to the Super Speciality Courses of Medical Sciences is absolutely discriminatory and violative of Article 11 of the Constitution of India.