Summary
Vacant postgraduate medical seats alone did not justify a general extension of the 2019 counselling and admission schedule. Earlier exceptional extensions concerned particular States, institutions or academic circumstances and did not support a general reopening. With no further justification beyond vacancies after the prescribed counselling rounds, the requested extension was refused.
Issues
- Whether vacant postgraduate seats warranted a general extension of the admission schedule.
- Whether earlier exceptional extension orders supplied a basis for that relief.
Held
- The approved admission schedule required strict adherence to prevent irregularities; general extension for vacancies would undermine that regime. (¶¶ 4, 6–7)
- The cited orders generally addressed institution-specific or State-specific circumstances, often expressly without precedential effect. The 2017 super-speciality extension was requested by Government and confined to that academic year. (¶ 5)
- Most documented vacancies were non-clinical, and no particular institutional difficulty or other justification was established. Remaining vacancies after the available counselling rounds did not alone justify further time. (¶ 6–7)
Result
Writ petition dismissed. Pending applications, if any, disposed of.