NEET cut-off manipulated: SC imposes major fines on 10 dental colleges for illegal admissions

New Delhi: In a landmark ruling, the Supreme Court has imposed a penalty of Rs 10 crore each on 10 private dental colleges in Rajasthan for serious irregularities in admissions, holding that their “blatant illegality and wilful violation” of rules warranted strict punitive action.

A Bench comprising Justices Vijay Bishnoi and J K Maheshwari strongly criticised both the dental colleges and the Rajasthan government, observing that the standards of medical education had been severely compromised.

The apex court also directed the Rajasthan government to deposit Rs 10 lakh with the Rajasthan State Legal Services Authority (RSLSA) for failing to follow statutory procedures in BDS (Bachelor of Dental Surgery) admissions for the 2016–17 academic year.

In its December 18 judgment, the court found that the state government had unauthoritatively reduced the NEET percentile by 10 per cent and then by an additional 5 per cent below the prescribed minimum for BDS admissions. This illegal relaxation enabled students who did not meet the eligibility criteria set by the Dental Council of India (DCI) to secure admissions. The colleges further violated the rules by admitting students even beyond the permitted 10+5 per cent relaxation.

While taking a stern view of the violations, the Supreme Court granted limited relief to students admitted under the relaxed norms during the 2016–17 academic year. Invoking its plenary powers to do complete justice, the court regularised their BDS degrees.

Counsel Rishabh Sancheti, appearing for 59 students in the lead petition, said the court directed beneficiaries of the relief to file affidavits before the Rajasthan High Court, undertaking to render pro bono services to the state during calamities, disease outbreaks or other emergencies.

The court underscored that the colleges had openly breached the 2007 regulations by admitting students beyond the permissible relaxation. It also censured the state government for granting unauthorised relaxations and failing to promptly convey decisions of the central government and the DCI.

“We are constrained to express our displeasure at the manner in which the standards of medical education have been undermined in the present case,” the Bench observed, adding that such conduct justified stringent penalties.

The court directed that the fines be deposited with the RSLSA within eight weeks, with the funds to be used for the welfare of social institutions in Rajasthan, including One Stop Centres, Nari Niketans, old age homes and child care institutions.

PTI