New Delhi: Warning against mixing of religion with education, the Supreme Court today (Apr 8, 2004) dismissed a petition seeking postponement of pre-medical entrance test for the 15 per cent all India quota seats on the ground that it being scheduled on Easter Sunday would cause serious inconvenience to Christians.

Refusing to enter into the merit of the case, a Bench comprising Justice S Rajendra Babu, Justice AR Lakshmanan and Justice G P Mathur said, "Too much of this kind of things are happening in this country. It does not matter if the exam is on a Easter Sunday."

When the counsel for the petitioner M P Raju stated that in India no examination is held on Holi or Diwali, the Bench shot back saying, "If the authorities fix it on these days, we would not interfere."

The Bench asked the petitioner organisation, Christian Service Society working in Kerala, whether the Christians after becoming doctors would refuse to treat a patient on an Easter Sunday.

Justice Babu, before dismissing the petition said, "You will be doing a great service by attending the exams as well as the Mass on Easter Sunday and not by indulging in such kind of litigation."