MED PG: HC NULLIFIES GOVT DECISION

Mathrubhumi Education Online

Kochi, May 02,2012 : The Kerala High Court today has nullified a decision by the state govt to exempt the govt doctors from negative marking in the medical pg entrance examination of 2012. The court has directed the govt to revalue the papers of all candidates by giving negative marks for wrong answers and publish the new rank list. The division bench consisting of Acting Chief Justice Manjula Chellur and Justice V Chithambaresh observed that separate criteria for determining the eligibility of candidates is discriminatory.

The court also noted that it is the Medical Council of India which prescribed the minimum eligibilty norms for Medical PG admission. Cancellation of negative marks for the service doctors in the entrance exam has no approval of the Council.If the purpose of the govt was to encourage govt doctors working in rural areas to undergo pg course, it could have been done by giving weithage, and not exempting them from negative marks. The Medical Council of India and other regulatory bodies have brought some clauses in the concerned rules with a purpose to ensure the quality  candidates.The govt or the universities have no right to deviate from this, court said.

The division bench dismissed the single bench's order ratifying the exemption on a petition filed by Dr.Rahul Raveend and others. Another petition filed Dr. Vinod of Vandoor, a govt doctor questioning the govt's decision on negative marking was also allowed.

A group of govt doctors too questioned the validity of govt order amending the prospectus the day before the test. They argued that even without this exemption around 100 doctors have got qualified in the entrance for pg admission.