The Supreme Court has imposed a Rs 10 crore fine on each of 10 private dental colleges in Rajasthan. The court also fined the Rajasthan state government Rs 10 lakh . These penalties address severe irregularities in Bachelor of Dental Surgery (BDS) admissions during the 2016-17 academic session.
Justices Vijay Bishnoi and J K Maheshwari delivered the ruling, stating colleges committed “blatant illegality” and “willful violation of rules.” The court observed these actions significantly undermined medical education standards. The state government received a fine for failing to adhere to legal procedures throughout the admission process.
Unauthorized NEET Percentile Reduction
The court found the Rajasthan state government acted without authorization to reduce the National Eligibility cum Entrance Test (NEET) percentile. It initially lowered the required minimum by 10 percent. Later, it applied an additional 5 percent reduction. These reductions allowed a specific group of students to gain admission. They did so despite failing to meet the minimum eligibility criteria established by the Dental Council of India (DCI).
College Admission Irregularities
Beyond the state government’s unauthorized percentile relaxation, the 10 private colleges admitted more students. These additional admissions occurred outside the already relaxed 10+5 percent criteria. Such practices directly violated the 2007 Regulations governing dental college admissions. The apex court highlighted these colleges “blatantly violated” these regulations by admitting students beyond permitted limits.
The Supreme Court expressed strong displeasure regarding the undermined medical education standards. It stated the colleges’ actions warranted “strict punitive action.” The court also sharply criticized the state government for its unauthorized relaxation moves. It further noted the government’s failure to promptly communicate decisions from both the central government and the DCI.
Student Degrees Regularized
The Supreme Court’s December 18 judgment provided relief to students admitted after the initial NEET percentile relaxation. It regularized their BDS degrees for the 2016-17 academic year. The court invoked its plenary power under Article 143 of the Constitution to ensure complete justice in these specific cases.
Rishabh Sancheti, legal counsel for 59 students involved in the lead petition, confirmed this judicial directive. All students granted degree regularization must file affidavits with the Rajasthan High Court.
Mandatory Pro Bono Service
These affidavits mandate a commitment to offering pro bono services to the state government. Students will provide public service during state emergencies. This includes periods of calamities, disease outbreaks, or other critical situations requiring immediate assistance. This ensures a measure of accountability for benefiting from the irregular admissions.
Fine Utilization and Future Compliance
The court directed the 10 colleges to deposit their respective Rs 10 crore fines with the Rajasthan State Legal Services Authority (RSLSA) within eight weeks . The state government’s Rs 10 lakh fine will also be transferred to the RSLSA within the same timeframe.
The RSLSA will utilize these substantial funds for the welfare of social institutions across Rajasthan. Beneficiaries include One Stop Centres, Nari Niketans, old age homes, and child care institutions. Sancheti commented that these heavy penalties serve as both a punitive measure and a step toward ensuring stronger legal and procedural adherence. This aims to prevent similar admission irregularities in future academic sessions.