Centac to allow girl to attend med counselling on sympathetic ground

CHENNAI: The Madras High Court directed the Centralised Admission Committee (Centac) of Puducherry Union Territory to allow a girl student to attend mop-up counseling for the MBBS course from a ‘sympathetic view’ since a browsing center staff wrongly uploaded another student’s HSc mark sheet instead of the petitioner.

“The petitioner seeks admission only under the self-financing quota and the petitioner has also uploaded her correct mark sheet. Therefore, taking a sympathetic view, the second respondent/Centralised Admission Committee is directed to accommodate the petitioner in the mop-up counselling in a self-financing seat, if she is otherwise qualified,” Justice R Subramanian wrote.

The judge passed the direction on hearing a petition filed by Devadarshini MA, represented by her father K Murugan.

The petitioner sought direction to the Director of Higher and Technical Education, Government of Puducherry, Centac, National Medical Commission and director of NEET to process her online application dated September 16 for admission to the MBBS course through the (Centac), Government of Puducherry, for the academic year 2022-2023.

According to the petitioner, while uploading the mark sheet along with the online application on September 16, 2022, instead of uploading her Class 12 mark sheet, the mark sheet of another candidate was uploaded by the browsing center.

“Realising the mistake, the petitioner approached the Centac and upon the direction of the Centac, she also uploaded the correct mark sheet on November 22, at 2.31 am and 2.33 am. She again uploaded the mark sheet on November 26 and December 01. The standard reply that was given by the second respondent is that since the final merit list has been published, change in the failed status cannot be altered,” H Mary Sowmi Rexi, counsel for the petitioner submitted.

However, A Tamilvanan, Additional Government Pleader, Puducherry UT for the Centac contended that the candidate has to blame herself for having uploaded the wrong mark sheet and she had not approached them on time and shall not be entitled to any indulgence from this court.

Nevertheless, the judge directed the Centac to allow her for the mop-up counselling on sympathetic ground. Justice Subramanian made it very clear that this order shall not be treated as a precedent in the future.