NEET-PG 2024: Karnataka HC cancels over 50 PG medical seats over KEA’s counseling irregularities

A bench comprising Justice Anu Sivaraman and Justice Vijaykumar A Patil noted that KEA declared its mop-up round counseling results even before the AIQ Round-3 reporting deadline ended
Picture of Karnataka High Court
Picture of Karnataka High Court(Image: Express)
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The Karnataka High Court (HC), today, Tuesday, February 4, cancelled the allotment of several postgraduate medical seats in the state’s mop-up counselling round, ruling that the Karnataka Examinations Authority (KEA) violated its own eligibility criteria.

The court acknowledged that KEA wrongly allowed candidates who had already secured seats in the All India Quota (AIQ) counselling Round 3 to participate in the state mop-up round, creating irregularities in the admission process.

A bench comprising Justice Anu Sivaraman and Justice Vijaykumar A Patil noted that KEA declared its mop-up round results even before the Medical Counselling Committee (MCC) Round-3 reporting deadline ended. 

This premature declaration led to ambiguity in the final seat matrix and resulted in ineligible candidates securing admissions.

Advocate Akkamahadevi Hiremath, who represented the petitioners in the court, told EdexLive, “The high court ruled that KEA had wrongly allowed more than 50 ineligible candidates — who had already secured seats in the AIQ third round — to participate in the state mop-up round. The court found that KEA acted in haste by starting the mop-up round on January 20, before AIQ counseling was completed. Eligible candidates who were waiting solely for the KEA mop-up round were deprived of their seats.”

The KEA justified its decision by citing changes in AIQ counseling rules, but the court ruled that KEA had no authority to override its own brochure without prior notification.

As per KEA’s official guidelines, candidates who had already been allotted seats in earlier AIQ rounds were not eligible for the state’s mop-up round. 

The petitioners, who were medical aspirants, argued that KEA’s mismanagement unfairly reduced their chances of securing a seat.

Judgement

Here are the key points from Karnataka HC judgement:

1. Cancellation of wrong allotments: KEA must cancel the seats wrongly allotted to ineligible candidates in the mop-up round.

2. Fair seat re-allocation: These cancelled seats should be made available in the next round of counselling — stray vacancy round.

3. Time extension for AIQ counselling: Candidates who were allotted seats in the AIQ counselling Round 3 can now join them until February 9, 2025, 5 pm.

4. No penalty for affected candidates: KEA cannot penalise those who participated in the mop-up round due to KEA’s mistake. Their original documents must be returned.

5. Participation in stray vacancy round: Eligible petitioners can participate in the upcoming stray vacancy round, ensuring fair seat allocation.

6. Refund of fees: Colleges, including deemed universities, must refund fees to candidates who were wrongly admitted.

7. Communication to affected candidates: MCC and KEA must inform all affected students via email/SMS about the changes and extended deadlines.

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