In a landmark judgment blending relief with strict accountability, the Supreme Court of India has stepped in to protect the careers of dental students caught in an admissions scandal, while coming down heavily on the authorities responsible for the irregularities. The case pertained to admissions made to private dental colleges in Rajasthan for the 2016-17 academic year, which deviated from the mandatory National Eligibility-cum-Entrance Test (NEET) norms.
Article 142 to the Rescue: Degrees Saved, Precedent Avoided
A bench comprising Justices J K Maheshwari and Vijay Bishnoi invoked the court's extraordinary powers under Article 142 of the Constitution to deliver "complete justice." The court ruled that the Bachelor of Dental Surgery (BDS) degrees of the affected students stand regularised. This decision came despite a clear finding that the admissions were made after lowering the NEET cut-off percentiles without any legal authority.
The bench emphasised that the students had already completed their courses and received their degrees years ago. Cancelling their qualifications at this advanced stage would have caused them irreversible harm and wasted their time, effort, and resources. The court, however, made it explicitly clear that this order is tailored to the unique facts of this case and should not be treated as a precedent for future admissions.
The Price of Regularisation: Pro-Bono Service and Crores in Penalty
The relief for students came with significant conditions and even heavier penalties for the erring institutions. The Supreme Court directed that students who benefit from this regularisation must file an undertaking before the Rajasthan High Court in Jodhpur. This undertaking binds them to provide pro-bono dental service in Rajasthan during emergencies like natural calamities, disasters, or health crises when called upon by competent authorities. The total service required will not exceed two years in a lifetime, and the undertaking must be filed within eight weeks.
Simultaneously, the bench expressed strong disapproval of the actions of the private dental colleges and the Rajasthan government. Holding them squarely responsible for violating the Dental Council of India's 2007 Regulations, the court imposed substantial financial penalties:
- Each of the erring private dental colleges must deposit Rs 10 crore.
- The Rajasthan government has been directed to deposit Rs 10 lakh.
These amounts must be deposited with the Rajasthan State Legal Services Authority within eight weeks. The funds will be placed in a fixed deposit, and the interest earned will be used for the welfare of One Stop Centres, Nari Niketans, old age homes, and child care institutions in the state, under the supervision of a five-judge committee of the Rajasthan High Court.
Reaffirming the Supremacy of NEET in Medical Admissions
Beyond the immediate case, the judgment served to reiterate the non-negotiable status of NEET as the sole basis for medical and dental admissions across India. The court recalled its earlier rulings, stressing that admissions to MBBS and BDS courses in all colleges—government or private—must be based strictly on NEET merit.
The bench underlined the mandated minimum percentiles: 50 for general category, 40 for SC/ST/OBC, and 45 for persons with locomotory disability. Crucially, it stated that only the Central government, in consultation with the Dental Council of India, has the power to alter these qualifying marks, and no state government can unilaterally change these norms.
This ruling, therefore, strikes a delicate balance. It protects students who were victims of systemic failure, ensures they contribute back to society, and delivers a stern, costly message to institutions and governments that flout the law, thereby upholding the sanctity of the NEET-based admission process for the future.
