Why were 633 admissions done beyond deadline by Karnataka? SC demands answers 

It was between December 4 and 18, 2021 that Karnataka conducted counselling's first round and the second round followed between December 18 and 30, 2021
Supreme Court of India, New Delhi | Pic: Express
Supreme Court of India, New Delhi | Pic: Express

The fate of as many as 633 Master of Dental Surgery (MDS) students who are pursuing their education in Karnataka is at stake. On January 12, the Supreme Court of India has asked the secretary of the state's medical education to offer an explanation regarding the circumstances under which the deadline of taking admissions was breached. 

"We direct the Secretary, Medical Education, of the state government to file an affidavit explaining the circumstances in which the state of Karnataka breached the deadline of November 20, 2021", stated a bench of Justices DY Chandrachud and AS Bopanna, as per a report in PTI. Within a week, the court asked the secretary, centre and the Dental Council of India, to file affidavits. 

The deadline extension from November 10, 2021 to November 20, 2021 was noted by the court which was made by the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, Government of India and the same was adopted by the Dental Council of India. This was regarding completing admissions for 2021-22 session for PG courses in MDS. 

It was between December 4 and 18, 2021 that Karnataka conducted counselling's first round and the second round followed between December 18 and 30, 2021. Student admissions were made beyond the cut-off date as well.

Appearing on behalf of many petitioner institutions, senior advocate Shyam Divan, in the very beginning, submitted that the state was given the responsibility of counselling conduction exclusively, there being no other modality for completing the admissions. And it was Karnataka that delayed the process and then, went on to carry out admissions beyond the deadline which was fixed by the Government of India. 

He stated that as many as 633 students were permitted to be admitted by Karnataka though the cut-off date had lapsed. He said that if the regularisation of these admissions is not done now, the colleges of the state will have no students for three years. 

Karnataka was well aware that the cut-off date extension was only till November 20, 2021, submitted Additional Solicitor General KM Nataraj, who was appearing on behalf of the Government of India and advocate Gaurav Sharma, who was appearing on behalf of the Dental Council of India. They mentioned that classes have commenced and there is no occasion for an extension of the deadline.

"In these circumstances, we find it necessary that the State of Karnataka must explain the circumstances in which it carried out admissions beyond the deadline of November 20, 2021", it said, as per PTI. The matter has been listed for further hearing on January 21.

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