25 MBBS students from Sakshi Medical College allege wrongful expulsion: HC asks MCI to Respond

India TV reports about the case of the students who have alleged that the medical college administration, as well as the Directorate of Medical Education and MCI, have almost 'ruined' their career.

On 29 September 2016, the students had registered themselves in the newly established Sakshi Medical College in Madhya Pradesh, and on the completion of the successful enrollment process, the medical college was supposed to deliver a list of enrolled students to the Directorate of Medical Education and the Medical Council of India till October 7th, 2016. The college administration successfully submitted it by October 4th, 2016, just 3 days before the deadline.

However, after a few months, one of the guardians of a medico asked for an RTI and wanted to know the total number of students pursuing a course in the medical college. The RTI inquiry revealed that there are only 143 students in the college which include Government quota students and NRI students for the academic session on the year 2016-17. Some students were not enlisted in the list of enrollment, hence the concerned medicos approached the authorities who clarified that the names were not mentioned due to some miscommunication.

Later, in September 2017, all the students including the 25 students appeared for the MBBS examination by filling the examination form. Next month, one of the students found out via newspaper articles that 25 students belonging from the NRI quota in Sakshi Medical College had been discharged after which they immediately contacted the authorities who denied any such news. But at the declaration of the result, it was seen that those 25 students' results were withheld and their status was displaying discharged by MCI.

The medical college after that submitted a petition in the Gwalior High court stating that they have delivered the list of enrolled students within time and the students were at no fault in the whole scenario. The case was dismissed by the high court after which the college approached the supreme court but the PIL was dismissed again.

Then in 2019, MCI debarred the medical college for not maintaining the rules and regulations mandated by the MCI. So, the medicos filed another RTI which stated that the Directorate had previously already received the name list and the MCI can only discharge students who are not NEET qualified or if the medical college has more students than their permitted for.

After this, the student filed a writ petition in Gwalior High court which was dismissed by the court hence they all of them approached the supreme court which suggested that the students can file for a review petition in Gwalior High court.

According to India Tv, Samresh Kattare, the advocate representing the petitioners stated that though the whole process has taken a lot of time, there is still a ray of hope for the students as the high court has directed MCI to file a response. The petitioners have submitted that the authority's decision to cancel their admission should be immediately squashed and their admission process must be regularised. The students have also claimed monetary compensation as they had to lose the last few years of their academic career due to the inefficiency and error of the authorities.

He also stated that "the students are in a legal battle since 2017. The MCI is the main culprit here. On one hand, it is saying in our RTI's reply that it cannot discharge the admission of the students just on the basis of the list, and on the other hand they have done it. The DME already had received the list. These RTIs show that the students are innocent. What is the fault of the students here who took admission here? There is not a single student who hasn't qualified NEET."

Citing that the miscommunication between medical College, MCI, and DME is responsible for the whole scenario, one of the medicos told India TV that "We have exhausted our parent's savings in court cases. College fees and university enrollment fees also got wasted. It was our parents' dream to see us become doctors one day but it's shattered now. MCI officials say they know it's their fault but since the matter is in court they will do whatever the court says. But they don't respond to the court and the hearing dates keep on extending. DME is also saying they had received the list. They have ruined our lives in such a manner that now we have exceeded the age limit to appear for NEET again. We cannot even switch our careers and apply for other courses at this point. Even after qualifying and fulfilling all the eligibility criteria, we are being mentally tortured for the last 3-4 years."