ANITTA JOB vs. THE STATE OF KERALA

1 REPORTABLE IN THE SUPREME COURT OF INDIA CIVIL APPELLATE JURISDICTION CIVIL APPEAL NO.3874 OF 2018 (ARISING OUT OF SLP(C)NO.3869 OF 2018) ANITTA JOB & ORS.                       … APPELLANTS VERSUS THE STATE OF KERALA & ORS.                  … RESPONDENTS J U D G M E N T ASHOK BHUSHAN, J. The appellants, ten in numbers, have filed this appeal against   the   Division   Bench   Judgment   of   the   High   Court   of Kerala   dated   04.01.2018   by   which   their   writ   petition challenging the order of Admission Supervisory Committee dated 03.06.2017 has been dismissed.  2. The brief facts of the case which need to be noted for deciding this appeal are: The   Malabar   Medical   College   and   Research   Centre   has Signature Not Verified Digitally signed by ASHWANI KUMAR Date: 2018.04.20 16:53:24 IST Reason: sanctioned   intake   capacity   of   150   students   in   MBBS   Course. With effect from 2016­2017 admission in MBBS Course was to be conducted on the basis of NEET examination. This Court vide 2 its  order  dated  06.05.2016  in   Sankalp  Charitable   Trust   and another vs. Union of India and others, (2016) 7 SCC 487,  has directed that no examination shall be permitted to be held for admission to MBBS or BDS studies by any private college or association or any private/deemed university. All admissions in the MBBS Course were to be done on the basis of National Eligibility­cum­Entrance   Test   (NEET).   All   the   appellants appeared in the NEET examination and declared qualified with their respective ranks. The State of Kerala has issued various Government   orders   pertaining   to   admission   procedure   in Government/Management/NRI seats in the private/self­financing Colleges.   As   per   the   orders   issued   by   the   Government   of Kerala, the Commissioner of Entrance Examination shall make allotment for MBBS in the Government Management/NRI seats in all private/self­financing Colleges.  3. The  Writ   petitions   were   filed   by   different   Medical Colleges challenging the Government Orders. The Kerala High Court   in   a   bunch   of   writ   petitions,   leading   writ   petition being No.28041 of 2016 on 26.08.2016 stayed the orders issued by the State of Kerala with certain directions pertaining to admission   in   MBBS/BDS   Courses.   The   Malabar   Medical   College (hereinafter   referred   to   as   the   'College')   submitted   a 3 prospectus to the Admission Supervisory Committee (hereafter referred to as the 'ASC') and got it approved on 06.09.2016. As   per   the   order   passed   by   the   Kerala   High   Court   dated 26.08.2016   and   as   per   procedure   laid   down   by   the   ASC,   the applications for admissions were to be made on­line. Last date for   submitting   application   on­line   for   admission   was 09.09.2016.   The   respective   Colleges   were   also   directed   to publish the list of applications received on­line so as to enable the ASC to supervise and guide the entire admission process. 4. The appellants' case is that although they obtained the demand drafts from banks pertaining to the fee for admission prior to 09.09.2016, but their on­line applications could not be submitted due to some snag in the website of the College. On 13.09.2016 College published a list of 1335 candidates in which   the   names   of   the   appellants   were   not   there.   Certain other candidates whose names were not included in the list filed complaints before the ASC. The ASC taking cognizance of the   complaints   issued   an   order   on   22.09.2016   noticing   the stand of the College that their names shall be included in the list   of   eligible   candidates.   After   receiving   the   aforesaid order dated 22.09.2016 a notice was also issued by the College 4 on their website on 23.09.2016. 5. The notice dated 23.09.2016 represented to the students that   applications   from   all   those   with   proof   of   (i)   their unsuccessful attempts for registration and (ii) with demand draft   taken   before   the   scheduled   cut   off   date,   shall   be accepted by the College. The appellants in pursuance of the notice 23.09.2016 by the College submitted their applications along with proof that the demand drafts were taken before the scheduled   cut   off   date.   Supplementary   list   of   33   eligible students was published by the College on 27.09.2016 in which names of all the appellants were included. The College had earlier   made   two   attempts   for   admission   in   the   Management quota/NRI quota but seats could not be filled up. 6. On   28.09.2016,   the   appellants   were   admitted   by   the College and on 30.09.2016, the list of 142 students including the names of the appellants were registered with the Kerala University   of   Health   Sciences.   Eight   seats   belonging   to Management/NRI quota which remained unfilled were surrendered to the Government and on the basis of order dated 05.10.2016, 8 candidates were forwarded to the College by the Commissioner of   Entrance   Examination   which   were   also   admitted   by   the 5 College.   After   their   admissions,   the   appellants   started attending their classes, the details of admissions taken by the College of Management/NRI quota was forwarded to ASC. The ASC by order dated 04.03.2017 withheld the admissions of 78 candidates under Management quota and 8 candidates under NRI quota made by the College. On 05.10.2016, the Management had already forwarded the details of all the admissions including the admissions of the appellants to the ASC. The ASC by order dated 03.06.2017 rejected the case of four of the candidates who had admitted in the College in the Management quota on the ground that their names are outside the list published by the Medical   College   and   with   regard   to   six   appellants   who   are admitted under NRI quota, their admissions were disapproved as they have not included in any of the on­line application lists submitted by the Medical College. 7. Then aggrieved by the order dated 03.06.2017, appellants filed Writ Petition (C) No.24133 of 2017 in which an interim order was passed on 27.07.2017 permitting the appellants to appear in the First Year MBBS Examination. The writ petition was ultimately dismissed by the Division Bench of Kerala High Court vide its judgment dated 04.01.2018 against which this appeal has been filed. 6 8. This   Court   while   entertaining   the   appeal   on   16.02.2018 directed that in the meantime, interim order that was passed during the pendency of the writ proceedings before the High Court shall operate. 9. We have heard Shri Huzefa Ahmadi, learned senior counsel for   the   appellants   and   Shri   Jaideep   Gupta,   learned   senior counsel appearing for the Admission Supervisory Committee. We have also heard learned counsel for the State of Kerala, the Kerala University of Health Sciences as well as Principal of Malabar Medical College. 10. Learned   counsel   for   the   appellants   submitted   that appellants   were   admitted   by   the   College   in   accordance   with procedure prescribed and directions issued by the ASC. It is submitted that although the appellants were unsuccessful in making   on­line   application   before   the   cut   off   date,   i.e., 09.09.2016   but   when   the   notice   was   published   on   23.09.2016 permitting all applicants who could not successfully submit on­line applications along with demand draft prior to cut off date, they submitted their applications in pursuance of the notice and were granted admission on 28.09.2016. He submits 7 that cut off date fixed by the Medical Council of India and as approved by this Court is 30.09.2016 and admissions of the appellants having been taken prior to cut off date, there was no   illegality.   He   further   submits   that   admissions   of   the appellants were made according to their ranks in NEET and no complaint had been made by any candidate or any other person against the admissions of the appellants. No candidate having any higher rank in the NEET has come up before ASC or before any   Court   alleging   that   he   applied   for   admission   in   the College and had higher rank to the appellants. The admission of the appellants being on the basis of NEET merits ought not to have been interfered by the ASC.   11.  Shri Jaideep Gupta, learned senior counsel appearing for the   respondent­ASC   submits   that   only   method   for   making application for admission to a College was on­line, the date published for submitting on­line applications was 09.09.2016 and   admittedly   the   appellants   had   not   submitted   their applications prior to 09.09.2016 and their names were also not included in the list which was published by the College of the eligible   candidates,   they   were   clearly   not   entitled   for admission and ASC had rightly disapproved their admissions. It is further submitted that order dated 22.09.2016 issued by the 8 ASC could not have been availed by the College to permit the College   to   entertain   applications   of   others   apart   from   the candidates   who   had   made   complaints   regarding   their   on­line applications.     The   College   could   not   have   entertained   the appellants' applications. 12. Learned   counsel   for   the   University   as   well   as   learned counsel   for   the   State   of   Kerala   have   also   adopted   the arguments made by  Shri Jaideep Gupta, learned senior counsel for the ASC. Learned counsel for the Principal supported the case of the appellants and submitted that admissions of the appellants   were   properly   made   on   the   basis   of   their     NEET ranking. 13. We have considered the submissions of the learned counsel for the parties and perused the records. 14. We have already noticed above that Kerala High Court has passed interim order on 26.08.2016 under which the High Court issued   certain   directions   regarding   admission   in   MBBS/BDS Courses   2016­2017.   Paragraph   9   of   the   judgment   which   is relevant in this context is as follows: “9.   Accordingly,   there   shall   be   an   interim stay of operation and implementation of the 9 impugned orders, G.O.(Rt) No. 2314/2016/H&FWD dated 20.08.2016 and G.O.(Rt) No. 2336/2016/ H&FWD   dated   23.08.2016,   subject   to   the following conditions:­ (i) Admissions to the MBBS/BDS courses shall be only on the basis of the ranking of candidates   in   the   rank   list   of   NEET, 2016, on the basis of the inter­se merit among   the   candidates,   who   have   applied to the respective colleges.  (ii) All   the   colleges   agree   that,   the applications for admission are received only through on­line and that, the said process   provides   transparency   with regard   to   the   merit   as   well   as   the identities   of   the   applicants.   Such applications shall therefore be uploaded for   the   scrutiny   of   the   Admission Supervisory   Committee   also   immediately on   the   expiry   of   the   last   date   for submission of applications. (iii) Since   the   counsel   for   the   Admission Supervisory   Committee   has   voiced   a complaint that some of the colleges have not   obtained   approval   of   the   Admission Supervisory   Committee,   for   their Prospectus, the admission process shall be proceeded with only on the basis of a Prospectus,   for   which   approval   of   the Admission Supervisory Committee has been obtained. (iv) The   Admission   Supervisory   committee   is directed to either approve or disapprove the   Prospectus,   submitted   to   them   for approval,   within   three   days   of   such submission.”   15. It   is   relevant   that   against   the   interim   order   of   the Kerala High Court dated 26.08.2016, Union of India has filed 10 an SLP which was disposed of by this Court on 28.09.2016 in C.A.No.9862 of 2016. This Court set aside only that part of Condition No.1 wherein the respective Colleges are allowed to conduct the counseling and admit the students without going into the merits. This Court, however, specifically observed that   this   Court   is   not   interfering   with   the   admissions   of students which have been done by the respective Colleges as those were done   after reaching arrangement with the State Government. Last two paragraphs of this Court's order dated 28.09.2016 are as follows: “Having regard to the aforesaid facts as stated   by   the   learned   Solicitor   General   as well as the counsel for the respondents, we set aside that part of Condition No.1 wherein the   respective   colleges   are   allowed   to conduct the counseling and admit the students without going into the merits. This issue shall be finally thrashed out and   decided   by   the   High   Court   in   the   writ petitions   which   are   pending   before   it. However,   we   are   not   inclined   to   interfere with   the   admissions   of   students   which   have been done by the respective colleges as these are done after reaching arrangement with the State   Government.   In   that   behalf,   the conditions   which   are   mentioned   in   the impugned order shall continue to apply. The   appeal   stands   disposed   of   in   the aforesaid terms.” 16. The admission of the appellants admittedly was completed 11 on 28.09.2016 as per the interim order of Kerala High Court dated 28.09.2016. We thus have to consider the admissions as per the directions of the Kerala High Court and the directives of the ASC as applicable on the relevant date. 17. There cannot be any dispute with the procedure which was prescribed   for   admissions   in   MBBS   Course,   students   were   to make   applications   on­line   and   last   date   for   making   such applications   was   09.09.2016.   There   is   also   no   dispute   that appellants could not succeed in making any on­line application prior to 09.09.2016 although they claim to have prepared a demand  draft before the last date of admission. 18. In the admission list which was published on 13.09.2016 by   the   College   of   all   eligible   candidates   the   names   of appellants were not included. It has come on the record that appellants   made   applications   to   the   College   only   after publication   of   notice   by   the   College   on   23.09.2016   in pursuance of order dated 22.09.2016 issued by the ASC.   The ASC has issued order dated 22.09.2016 on complaints received by 7 candidates alleging that their names were not included in the published list of eligible candidates of Medical College. The ASC issued the following order dated 22.09.2016: 12 “ ORDER Complaints   have   been   received   from   seven complainants   alleging   that   their   names   are not included in the Published eligible lists of   Malabar   Medical   College,   in   short   the Medical College. 2.   When   the   matter   was   taken   up,   Advocate Devaprasad, was present and representing the Medical College. The details of above seven complainants   were   handed   over   to   him.   He submitted,   after   contacting   the   Medical College,   that   on   receiving   the   details   of these   seven   students,   the   Medical   College would list them also along with the already published eligible list of the applicants. 3. Alan Philips did not give any application details or other particulars. Hence, he had been directed to furnish all the details to the   Medical   College,   so   that   his   name   will also be considered by the College. 4. The Medical College is directed to publish Management and NRI quota lists separately with NEET rank so as to enable the applicants to know   their   rank   and   position.   The   rejected list, if any, should also be published. 5.   The   Medical   College   shall   adhere   to   the Directives   issued   by   the   ASC,   particularly the Directives dated 19.09.2016. 6. Email this order to the Principal of the Malabar   Medical   College,   and   add   to   the website of the ASC for the information of all the   complainants,   as   no   separate communication is addressed to them from the ASC office. nd Dated on this the 22  day of September 2016. Sd/­ CHAIR MAN” 13 19. After the aforesaid order dated 22.09.2016, the College has issued notice in its website on 23.09.2016, last paragraph of the notice is as follows: " As directed by the (illegible) Admission Supervisory Engineer, we undertake to accept all such applications received in the college office   with   the   (illegible)   of   their unsuccessful   attempts   for   registration alongwith DD taken before the scheduled cut off   date.   These   applications   will   be (illegible) to vacant seats.” 20. The ASC has been constituted in the State of Kerala in pursuance   of   a   State   enactment,   namely,   the   Kerala Professional   Colleges   or   Institutions   (Prohibition   of Capitation   Fee,   Regulation   of   Admission,   Fixation   of Non­Exploitative Fee and Other Measures to Ensure Equity and Excellence   in   Professional   Education)   Act,   2006.   Under   the Act,   ASC   is   to   supervise   and   guide   the   entire   process   of admission   of   students   to   unaided   professional   colleges   or institutions. Sub­sections (6) and (7) of Section 4 are as follows: “Section   4.   Admission   Supervisory Committee.­ (1) xxx xxx xxx (6) The Admission Supervisory Committee shall supervise   and   guide   the   entire   process   of admission   of   students   to   the   unaided professional colleges or institutions with a view   to   ensure   that   the   process   is   fair, transparent, merit­based and non­exploitative under the provisions of this Act. 14 (7)The   Admission   Supervisory   Committee may hear complaints with regard to admission in contravention of the provisions contained herein.   If   the   Admission   Supervisory Committee after enquiry finds that there has been   any   violation   of   the   provisions   for admission   on   the   part   of   the   unaided professional   colleges   or   institutions,   it shall make appropriate recommendation to the Government   for   imposing   a   fine   upto   rupees ten lakhs and the Government may on receipt of   such   recommendation,   fix   the   fine   and collect   the   same   in   the   case   of   each   such violation or any other course of action as it deems   fit   and   the   amount   so   fixed   together with interest thereon shall be recovered as if it were an arrear of public revenue due on land. The Admission Supervisory Committee may also declare admission made in respect of any or   all   seats   in   a   particular   college   or institution to be de­hors merit and therefore invalid   and   communicate   the   same   to   the concerned University. On the receipt of such communication,   the   University   shall   debar such   candidates   from   appearing   for   any further examination and cancel the results of examinations already appeared for.” 21. The order dated 22.09.2016 has to be treated as passed by the ASC in exercise of the abovesaid statutory power. It is true that in the order dated 22.09.2016, there was no clear direction that names of other candidates who have not even submitted   complaints   should   be   included   or   any   fresh applications be invited but College taking guidance from the aforesaid   order   issued   the   notice   extending   the   similar protection   to   all   the   candidates   who   come   with   their 15 unsuccessful attempts for registration but with the rider that they should come up along with demand drafts taken before the scheduled cut off date.  The requirement of demand draft taken before   the   scheduled   cut   off   date   was   an   important   factor which   prohibited   the   candidates   who   had   never   thought   of making an application in the College to come up with their applications   with   any   fresh   demand   draft.   Notice   dated 23.09.2016 clearly prohibited all the candidates who had not taken demand draft prior to 09.09.2016 which was the last date of admission. In the present case College had filed details of demand drafts of the appellants and it was not disputed that they   submitted   their   applications   with   demand   drafts   taken before the last date of application. The High Court has taken a   view   that   since   they   have   not   made   on­line   applications prior to 09.09.2016 they were not entitled for admission and requirement of submitting on­line application was a condition which   having   not   been   fulfilled,   their   applications   were disapproved by the ASC and the High Court has also come to the conclusion that their applications were made after 09.09.2016 and they were admitted in the College on 28.09.2016. There cannot be any dispute that as per procedure prescribed and the interim   order   of   the   Kerala   High   Court   dated   26.08.2016 students   were   to   submit   admission   applications   to   the 16 respective   Colleges   on­line   and   the   admissions   were   to   be taken on merit as reflected in the NEET examination. 22. During   the   course   of   hearing   we   had   repeatedly   asked learned counsel appearing for the respondents as to whether any candidate having merit higher to the appellants in the NEET   examination,   has   submitted   any   complaint   or   made   any protest   to   any   authority   complaining   that   he   had   made application to the College having secured higher rank to the appellants and has been denied the admission. The respondents could not point out any such details of any candidate who was included   in   the   list   published   by   the   College   and   who   had higher NEET rank to the appellants and has raised grievance regarding non­admission. It is also on the record that in fact after admission made in the Management quota and NRI quota still 8 seats were not filled up which were surrendered to the Government by the College. 23. Details of names of eight candidates, invited for spot admission   against   the   still   vacant   seats,   forwarded   to   the College   were   admitted   on   07.10.2016   (within   the   date   as extended).  The details of 8 candidates who were admitted on 17 the basis of the allotment made by the Government is found at Annexure P­7 and on perusal of the names along with their NEET rank, the  inter se  ranks of the candidates which were admitted subsequent   to   the   appellants   clearly   indicate   that   four candidates are lower in the NEET rank to the appellants. After receiving   the   applications   from   appellants   and   after   being satisfied that they had demand draft prior to 09.09.2016 and had   made   unsuccessful   attempts   for   their   registration   the College published their names on 27.09.2016 which list is also on the record. The ASC which is entrusted to supervise and guide entire admission process having issued the order dated 22.09.2016 asking the College to include the names of       7 candidates whose names were not earlier included, the College extended the said benefit and the facility to other candidates who come with proof of unsuccessful attempts for registration along with demand drafts taken before the scheduled cut off date of admission. We are unable to see any  mala fide  or any oblique  motive in publishing notice dated 23.09.2016 by the College.   They   received   order   for   inclusion   of   7   such candidates whose names were included in the list and extended the same benefits to other similarly situated. 24. The High Court has referred to the judgment of this Court 18 in  Rishabh Choudhary vs. Union of India and others, (2017) 3 SCC 652.  The High Court has relied on paragraphs 15 and 16 of the judgment which are to the following effect: “15.   The   question   before   this   Court   is   not who is to be blamed for the present state of affairs—whether   it   is   the   students   or   the College   or   the   State   of   Chhattisgarh.   The question   is   really   whether   the   rule   of   law should   prevail   or   not.   In   our   opinion,   the answer   is   unambiguously   in   the   affirmative. The   College   and   the   State   of   Chhattisgarh have not adhered to the law with the result that   the   petitioner   became   a   victim   of circumstances giving him a cause of action to proceed against the College and the State of Chhattisgarh   being   a   victim   of   their maladministration.   The   plight   of   the petitioner   is   unfortunate   but   it   cannot   be helped. 16.   We   were   told   during   the   course   of submissions   that   some   similarly   placed students   participated   in   NEET   and   qualified in the examination. Those students like the petitioner   who   did   not   participate   in   NEET and   placed   their   trust   only   in   the   College and the State of Chhattisgarh took a gamble and   that   gamble   has   unfortunately   not succeeded. While our sympathies may be with the petitioner and similarly placed students, we cannot go contrary to the orders passed by this Court from time to time, only for their benefit.” 25. The   case   of   Rishabh   Choudhary   (supra)   was   a   case   of candidate   who   was   admitted   by   the   College   in   the   year 2016­2017 in MBBS Course on the basis of examination conducted by the College. This Court noticed in the aforesaid judgment 19 that   this   Court   having   already   passed   an   order   dated 11.04.2016   recalling   the   judgment   of   this   Court   dated 18.07.2013 in   Christian Medical College, Vellore and others vs.   Union   of   Inida   and   others,   (2014)   2   SCC   305 ,   t he notification   issued   by   the   Medical   Council   of   India     on 21.12.2010 reviewed that the examination was to be conducted by NEET. This Court in  Rishabh Choudhary case (supra)  has also noticed the order of this Court dated 06.05.2016 in   Sankalp Charitable Trust (supra)  where this Court has directed that no examination shall be permitted to be held for admission to MBBS or BDS studies by any private college. In paragraphs 9 to 12 following was held: “9.   By   an   order   dated   6­5­2016   in  Sankalp   Charitable   Trust, it   was made clear that no examination shall be permitted to be held for admission   for   MBBS   studies   by   any   private college or association or any private/deemed university. 10.   Subsequently   on   9­5­2016   this   Court declined to modify the order dated 28­4­2016. An order was also passed making it clear that all such candidates who could not appear in NEET I and those who had appeared but had an apprehension that they had not prepared well, would  be   permitted   to   appear  in  NEET  II subject to an option from these candidates to give up their candidature for NEET I. It was further clarified that only NEET would enable students to get admission to MBBS studies.” 11.   In   view   of   all   these   orders   passed   by this Court from time to time, it is more than 20 abundantly clear that the Notification dated 21­12­2010   stood   resurrected   and   that admissions to the MBBS course could only be through NEET I and NEET II. No other process of   admission   was   permissible.   Given   this background, the Director of Medical Education in   Chhattisgarh   wrote   to   the   College   on   or about 13­7­2016 to take steps to cancel all the admissions made by the College in terms of   the   examination   CGMAT­2016   held   for students   for   the   management   quota   and   NRI quota. Eventually by a Letter dated 28­7­2016 the   Director   of   Medical   Education   in Chhattisgarh   recommended   to   the   College   to cancel   admissions   made   to   the   MBBS   course. This prompted the petitioner to file a writ petition in this Court. 12.   It   is   submitted   and   prayed   by   the petitioner   that   since   he   had   already   been granted   admission   by   the   College   after   the examination   CGMAT­2016   was   conducted   by   the College and supervised and monitored by the State of Chhattisgarh and in which there were no allegations of impropriety, his admission should not be disturbed. It is submitted that the petitioner was certainly not at fault and there   is   no   reason   why   he   should   be   the victim of an apparent wrong committed by the College   as   also   by   the   State   of Chhattisgarh.” 26. The observations were made in paragraphs 15 and 16 in the background of facts in that case. Present is not a case where the appellants did not appear in the NEET examination or they were   granted   admission   disregarding   the   merits   of   other candidates in NEET. No details of any candidate who secured higher   rank   or   merit   to   the   appellants   and   was   not   given 21 admission in the College has been brought to our notice. It may be true that the order of the ASC dated 22.09.2016 did not expressly permit the College to invite all the candidates who had   earlier   made   their   unsuccessful   attempts   for   on­line registration   to   come   up   for   being   included   in   the   list   of eligible   candidates   of   the   College   but   the   College   having given such opportunity to others in addition to 7 candidates who   had   complained   to   the   ASC,   such   action   of   the   College cannot   be   termed   the   mala   fide   or   with   oblique   motive especially when similarly situated candidates were included in the list of eligible candidates. The High Court had not given due consideration to the important condition which was put by the College in the notice dated 23.09.2016 that candidates who come,   claiming   that   they   made   unsuccessful   attempts   for on­line registration and come up with proof to show that they had prepared demand draft of fee which was of prior date to the last date of admission. The above safeguard was enough to ward   of   applicants   who   never   thought   of   admission   in   the College prior to last date of admission. 27. It   is   not   disputed   that   the   appellants   had   proof   of demand drafts in the name of College which were prior to the last date of admission. In the facts of the present case where admission was also notified by the University on 30.09.2016 22 and the ASC for the first time disapproved their admissions only   on   03.06.2016   and   further   the   appellants   were   also permitted to appear in the examination of MBBS First Year by the High Court, at this distance of time, we are not inclined to throw the appellants out of the College on account of the above shortcomings as pointed by the ASC and the High Court. 28. In the result, we set aside the order of the High Court as well as the order of the Admission Supervisory Committee. The appeal is allowed. ...............................J. ( A.K. SIKRI ) ...............................J. ( ASHOK BHUSHAN ) NEW DELHI, APRIL 20, 2018.