In a major ruling, the Supreme Court has taken strict action against rule violations in medical and dental education. The court fined 10 private dental colleges in Rajasthan Rs 10 crore each for admitting students who did not meet the minimum NEET eligibility scores during the 2016-17 academic year.
The court said that giving admission to students without the required NEET marks was a serious violation of rules and harmed the quality of education.
Across India, admission to medical and dental courses is based only on NEET exam results. However, several private dental colleges in Rajasthan ignored the 2007 admission rules and enrolled students who were not eligible for BDS courses in 2016-17.
The long-running case raised questions about the role of both the colleges and the state government.
A bench of Justices J.K. Maheshwari and Vijay Bishnoi said the colleges knowingly broke the rules and deserved strict punishment. The court ordered each of the 10 colleges to pay Rs 10 crore to the Rajasthan State Legal Services Authority.
The Rajasthan government was also directed to deposit Rs 10 lakh, as the court questioned its role in allowing unauthorised exemptions.
The Supreme Court ordered that the Rs 100 crore collected from the colleges be kept in fixed deposits. The interest earned will be used to improve One Stop Centres, Nari Niketans, old-age homes, and child care institutions in Rajasthan. The court said this would help the most vulnerable sections of society.
SC Fines 10 Rajasthan Dental Colleges Rs 10 Crore Each for NEET Rule Violations
These 11 colleges were fined 10 crore rupees each
1. Vyas Dental College & Hospital in Jodhpur
2 Eklavya Dental College & Hospital in Kotputli (Jaipur)
3. Daswani Dental College and Research Center in Kota
4. Surendra Dental College and Research Institute in Sri Ganganagar
5. Gitanjali Dental and Research Institute in Udaipur
6. Gitanjali University in Udaipur
7. Darshan Dental College in Udaipur
8. Pacific Dental College and Hospital in Udaipur
9. Pacific Academy of Higher Education and Research University in Udaipur
10. Rajasthan Dental College and Hospital in Jaipur
11. Maharaja Ganga Singh Dental College & Research Centre in Sriganganagar
Relief Given to Students With Conditions
Using its special powers under Article 142 of the Constitution, the court allowed students who had already completed their degrees to keep them, even though their admissions were illegal.
However, these students must file an affidavit with the Rajasthan High Court, agreeing to provide free services to the state during emergencies, such as disasters or pandemics.
The Supreme Court asked the Chief Justice of the Rajasthan High Court to form a five-judge committee, including at least one woman judge, to ensure the interest money is used properly.
The court expressed serious concern over the declining quality of medical and dental education. It said illegal admissions weaken public trust in future doctors and dentists and warned that no institution should dare to break these rules again.
The Supreme Court also ruled that students who fail to complete the BDS course within nine years will be removed. Under the 2007 rules, a five-year BDS course must be completed within nine years, and this limit cannot be relaxed, the court said.
