HC censures medico for wasting MMC seat

Chennai: Asserting that a post-graduate medical seat is a national resource which cannot be wasted for a candidate’s flawed career planning, Madras high court has censured a woman PG medico for discontinuing course at Madras Medical College.The first bench of Acting Chief Justice T Raja and Justice D Bharatha Chakravarthy was hearing a plea moved by Dr R Aashritha, who was allotted MD seat on April 17, 2019.Though she paid the tuition fee and joined the course on May 1, 2019, she submitted a letter to discontinue the course within two days as her family fixed her marriage. Since the institute insisted on payment of 15 lakh, entire course fee for providing her MBBS certificates submitted, she moved the court.Allowing her plea, a single judge held that the candidate was not liable to pay since she discontinued the course well before the cutoff date of May 31, 2019 as per the prospectus. Aggrieved, selection committee moved the present appeal.Dismissing appeal, bench said pointed out that while Clause 24(c) of prospectus said candidates should pay the discontinuation fees of 15 lakh if she discontinued after the last counselling phase, which was April 22, 2019, clause 24(a) said fee would be attracted for discontinuation after May 31, 2019. The benefit of this anomaly in dates should go to the candidate since she discontinued on May 3, 2019, judges said.