The Supreme Court said that medical seats should not remain vacant when India is facing a shortage of doctors. This came while hearing petitions asking admission authorities to hold a special or stray counseling round for unfilled seats. These requests were made even after five rounds of counseling had already been completed. The court stressed the need to use all available resources to address the country’s healthcare challenges.
New Delhi: The Supreme Court emphasized the importance of not wasting precious medical seats amid the country’s critical shortage of doctors.
A bench comprising Justices B.R. Gavai and K.V. Viswanathan directed authorities to conduct fresh counseling to fill the vacant seats.
The bench stated,
“Taking into consideration the peculiar facts and circumstances and further that the precious medical seats should not go to waste, we are inclined to extend the period by way of a last chance.”
This order was issued in response to petitions requesting that admission authorities carry out a stray or special counseling round for the remaining vacant seats, following five previous rounds.
The court noted that the counsel for the National Medical Council acknowledged the need for an extension as a one-time measure, without setting a precedent.
The bench instructed the admission authorities to arrange a fresh stray or special counseling session for the remaining vacant seats, ensuring the admission process is completed by December 30, 2024. It clarified that no college would be allowed to admit students directly and that admissions must occur solely through state admission authorities.
Before dismissing the petitions, The court also stated,
“We clarify that the stray/special admission process should not disturb the admissions that are already finalized, and the admissions will be conducted only from the waitlisted candidates,”
This order was issued after petitions asked for another round of counseling to fill the seats that were still vacant after five rounds. The court mentioned that the National Medical Council recognized the large number of empty seats and agreed to give an extension as a one-time measure, without making it a standard practice.
The bench also stated that colleges cannot admit students directly; all admissions must go through state admission authorities.
Additionally, the special admission process should not affect the admissions that have already been finalized and should only consider candidates on the waitlist.
The availability of medical seats is very important for several reasons:
Many countries, including India, don’t have enough doctors. Adding more medical seats helps train more doctors to meet the rising need for healthcare. More doctors mean better access to medical care, especially in rural and underserved areas, improving health outcomes in these regions.
In short, having enough medical seats is essential for building a good healthcare system that serves everyone and tackles health challenges effectively.