Plea In Supreme Court Seeks Reduction Of Qualifying Percentile For Admission In Ayurveda Course

The petition was listed before the bench of Justices DY Chandrachud and Surya Kant on Friday wherein the bench directed the same to be listed with the plea which challenge's centre's decision to not reduce the percentile for BDS Courses.

It may be noted that the Top Court on Wednesday had sought Center's response in a plea by filing a counter affidavit specifying:

• Total eligible candidates after deducting the admission granted for MBBS Courses (BDS Courses)
• Total number of vacant seats in All India Quota and State Quota
• The number of seats which are remaining in government colleges on one hand & private/deemed colleges on the other hand.

Advocate Shivam Singh appeared for the petitioner and the petition was filed through AOR Neeraj Shekhar.

Petitioners, while seeking to extend the last date of admission for academic year 2021-22, have argued that the admissions in the Ayurveda courses are being made by a common NEET-2021 being conducted for the MBBS/BDS/AYUSH Courses.

Referring to the order dated April 29, 2022 wherein the Top Court had asked Centre to consider lowering the percentile for BDS Courses, the petition states that, "If percentile is being reduced/considered for reduction for BDS course, then the percentile may also be reduced for Ayurveda programme enabling the Petitioner to take admissions."

To further substantiate their contention the petitioners have referred to the judgement passed in Harshit Agarwal & Ors v UOI wherein the court had observed that lowering the minimum marks and reducing the percentile for admission to first year BDS Course would not amount to lowing the standards of Education and directed to lower the percentile mark by 10 percentiles for admission in first year of BDS Course for academic year 2020-21.

Case Title: Amit Kumar v UOI & Ors| WP(civil) 351/2022