SC stays Bombay HC order on deemed universities

New Delhi, Sep 16 (PTI) The Supreme Court today stayed anorder of the Bombay High Court allowing deemed universities toconduct admissions to medical courses. The apex court stayed the August 30 order of the highcourt till September 19 and listed the matter before theConstitution bench where similar matters are pending. A bench of justices Shiva Kirti Singh and R Banumathi,while passing the interim order, said prima facie the highcourt should not have stayed the orders of the Centre and theMaharashtra government. "Prima facie, we are of the view that the High Courtshould not have stayed the orders issued by the State ofMaharashtra and the Union of India dated August 20, 2016 andAugust 9, 2016 respectively. Hence the impugned order passedby the Bombay High Court is stayed till the next date ofhearing. "We direct both the parties to maintain status quoprevailing as on date. List these matters on Monday i.e.September, 19, 2016 … before the Constitution Bench wheresimilar matters are pending," the bench said. While issuing notice on the appeal filed by Maharashtragovernment challenging the high court order, the bench said,"we have considered the broader contour of the controversy andthe orders by which this court permitted centralisedexamination through NEET and also the judgment of theConstitution Bench…" The high court had on August 30 stayed the Maharashtragovernment’s decision mandating centralised counselling forthe students who appeared for the National EligibilityEntrance Test (NEET) this year for medical and dental courses. It had allowed the deemed universities in Maharashtra tohold their own counselling sessions for the admissions. Private deemed universities running medical and dentalcolleges, had moved the HC against a government resolution(GR)which provides for centralised counselling for admissions. The HC had stayed the mandatory common counselling, butmade it clear that the deemed universities shall admitstudents strictly on the basis of the ranking in NEET. The state government had contended that centralisedadmissions process makes it easier for students as they do nothave to apply separately to each college. There are around 1,600 medical seats in deemeduniversities in Maharashtra. PTI MNL SKV PKS RKSARC