In a significant move to prevent wastage of precious medical education seats, the Gujarat High Court has mandated a fresh admission round for three vacant MBBS positions. The court's directive aims to ensure that deserving candidates get an opportunity and the nation's need for more doctors is addressed.
Court Directs Swift Action to Fill Seats
Justice Nirzar Desai of the Gujarat High Court issued the order on Tuesday, instructing the National Medical Commission (NMC), the Medical Counselling Committee (MCC), and the Admission Committee for Professional Undergraduate Medical Courses (ACPC) to conduct one more stray vacancy round. The bench emphasized that this exercise should be completed promptly, preferably within a period of ten days from the date of the order.
The court's decision came in response to a petition filed by the MedGuj Association of Medical Colleges. The association brought to light that three MBBS seats remained unfilled even after the conclusion of the fifth and final stray vacancy rounds. These rounds were originally conducted in December 2025 to fill a total of 57 MBBS seats.
Why Did the Seats Fall Vacant?
The petition revealed that the three seats became vacant after admitted students withdrew their admissions. This occurred despite stringent measures introduced in earlier rounds. For the fourth and fifth admission rounds, authorities had implemented a rule requiring candidates to deposit a substantial amount of Rs 3 lakh as a security fee to discourage casual withdrawals and seat blocking.
However, this measure proved insufficient in these specific cases, as three students still opted to withdraw, leaving the seats unoccupied. The MedGuj Association argued that instead of letting these seats go to waste, they should be offered to other eligible and meritorious candidates through an additional round.
Prioritizing Societal Need for Doctors
Justice Desai's order strongly reflected the broader public interest. The court noted that society consistently faces a shortage of qualified doctors. It stated that the interest of justice would be best served if these three seats were offered to other meritorious students through another stray vacancy round.
To prevent a repeat of seats being vacated after admission, the High Court also empowered the competent authorities, specifically naming respondent No. 1 (the MCC), to take preventive measures. The court suggested that the authorities could modify existing conditions or rules, or impose additional conditions to ensure that no MBBS seat remains vacant due to last-minute withdrawals in the future.
This ruling underscores the judiciary's proactive role in streamlining medical admissions and optimizing the use of available educational resources to bolster the healthcare workforce.
