HC allows 3 colleges to admit students for dental courses under mgmt quota
The Madras high court, which had on April 27 restrained unaided institutions from admitting students for post-graduate dental courses without an entrance test, has modified its order and permitted three colleges to admit students under management quota.
A vacation bench comprising Justice V Dhanapalan and Justice B Rajendran, passing interim orders on the vacate stay petitions filed by three institutions, said on Wednesday that they could admit students for their share of seats this academic year.
Making it clear that the admissions would be subject to the outcome of the main petitions, the bench also requested the final hearing of the matter in the last week of June 2012 itself. On April 24, passing interim orders on a public interest writ petition filed by the Indian Dental Association, the high court had restrained all colleges from admitting students without following the merit list published by the Tamil Nadu Dr MGR Medical University which conducts entrance examination.
The PIL, alleging largescale irregularities in admissions, wanted the university to be directed to monitor and supervise the admission process in these institutions. Aggrieved, three institutions - KSR Institute of Dental Science and Research, Tiruchengode; Sri Mookambika Institute of Dental Sciences, Kanyakumari; and JKK Natarajah Dental College and Hospital, Komarapalayam - had sought to vacate the stay.
Noting that they followed the Dental Council of India-stipulated regulations in admission process, they said the admissions were on the basis of an entrance examination conducted by the Tamil Nadu Private Dental Colleges Association.
It is not proper to restrain these colleges from proceeding with the admission process, they said, adding that the interim order had virtually prevented them from proceeding further in the matter.
Acceding to their submissions, the judges modified the April 27 order, saying it had been causing hindrance to these institutions from proceeding further with their regular admission works.