NAZMA KOUSER Vs. STATE OF J. AND K.

JUDGEMENT

(1.) Objections have not been filed by respondents. The matter is taken up for consideration with consent of learned counsel for the parties. Heard and considered.

(2.) Petitioner, claiming to be eligible in all respects, applied for admission to various professional courses (MBBS/BDS/BAMS/BUMS/Physiotherapy/Diploma/Dental Hygiene/B.E. Etc). However, her application form came to be rejected due to age bar. Being aggrieved, she has approached this court for seeking redressal of her grievance.

(3.) The minimum age criteria for applying in the said JKCET (Common Entrance Test) is 17 years. Admittedly, petitioner is 18 days short of attaining the minimum prescribed age on the material date. Reg. 4(1) of Graduate Medical Education Regulations, 1997, lays down eligibility criteria for admission to the medical courses. It provides that no candidate shall be allowed to be admitted to the medical curriculum of first MBBS course until he/she has completed the age of 17 years on or before 31st of December of the year of admission to the MBBS course. The information brochure of JKCET 2014 issued by J&K BOPEE incorporates the aforesaid provision in Reg. 4(1) that the candidate must be at least 17 years old on or before 31st of December, 2014 for being eligible to appear in JKCET 2014 for admission to MBBS and allied Medical courses. On her own showing petitioner will be short of 18 days in attaining age of 17 years on 31st of December 2014. Thus, she would be ineligible to compete for JKCET 2014 Medical Entrance Test.