Karnataka HC sets aside 3rd round provisional allotment list for MBBS course

Ending uncertainty over admission to the remaining around 900 under-graduate medical and dental seats for the academic year 2025-26, a three-judge special bench of the High Court of Karnataka set aside the provisional allotment list of third round of counselling for admission to MBBS and BDS courses, published on October 24, and directed the Karnataka Examinations Authority (KEA) to undertake the process of third round afresh as per the methodology prescribed by the court.

A three-judge bench comprising Justices B.M. Shyam Prasad, M.I. Arun and T.M. Nadaf delivered the unanimous verdict on Friday (December 5) after the petitions were referred to the HC following the divergent judgment passed by a division bench on November 19. The copy of the verdict is yet to be released.

While directing the KEA to complete the counselling by December 17, the special bench directed the National Medical Commission to accept the list of candidates allotted through the KEA to various medical colleges even though the last date for admission has crossed the prescribed deadline.

The special bench gave partial relief to the petitioner-MBBS seat aspirants, who had questioned the methodology adopted by the KEA in allotting the seats in the third round of counselling to fill up vacant seats in MBBS course.

The allotment to around 900 vacant seats of MBBS course, including vacant seats under management quota, are on hold due to pendency of the petition since October 26.

Divergent view

The special bench was constituted after a division bench comprising Justice Jayant Banerji and Justice K.V. Aravind had delivered divergent verdict. While Justice Banerji had set aside the provisional allotment list of third round and had directed the KEA to undertake the process of third round afresh strictly as per the directions of the Supreme Court in the case of State of UP vs Bhavna Tiwari, Justice Aravind permitted the KEA to go ahead based on the provisional list.