Monday, April 11 2005 17:49 Hrs (IST) - World Time -

New Delhi: Asking authorities to evolve a strategy to maximise utilisation of the 50 per cent all India quota seats in post-graduate medical courses, the Supreme Court today (Apr 11, 2005) warned the States to strictly restrict admission of students to their quota seats only.

A Bench comprising Justice Y K Sabharwal and Justice D M Dharmadhikari asked the director general of Health Services (DGHS) and Medical Council of India (MCI) to evolve a strategy to maximise the utilisation of the all India quota seats.

It was alleged by a petition filed by a student Amit Gupta that the States were taking advantage of the reversion of All India Quota seats and admitting students in excess of the 50 per cent State quota in Government medical colleges.

The Bench, which asking the DGHS and MCI to give its suggestions on Friday, said that the interim order of the Court restraining the States from using the left over seats from the All India Quota would continue till further orders.

The Court was informed by DGHS that approximately one-lakh students appeared for the test conducted by All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) for the 2700 seats under the all India quota.

When it was said that only 3376 candidates were called for counselling and that 239 seats remained vacant, the Bench asked the authorities to consider whether they could broad-base their consideration by calling more students for the counselling instead of only 3376.

The Court felt that it was in the interest of everybody to see that the all India quota seats do not revert to the States and also that no seat went waste.