Amritsar college, principal fined ₹1L for cancelling MBBS admission

HC also saddled Punjab govt with a compensation of ₹50,000 to be paid to the petitioner student

- Surender Sharma

CHANDIGARH: The Punjab and Haryana high court has fined Government Medical College at Amritsar and its principal ₹1 lakh for illegally cancelling admission of an MBBS course aspirant.

The high court bench of chief justice Sheel Nagu and justice Sumeet Goel also saddled Punjab government with a compensation of ₹50,000 to be paid to the petitioner student, Samarveer Singh, while making it clear that the amount can be recovered from the erring officials.

"The present case is an illustration of how litigations are pursued on behalf of the state, in a totally mechanical and indifferent fashion. The proceedings reveal a lack of due diligence, reflective of an apathetic approach that undermines the principles of responsible governance and judicial propriety. Such conduct reflects an absence of serious application of mind, resulting in an unwarranted litigation that burdens the judicial system," the bench observed underlining that repeat of the same could only be prevented if penalty is imposed.

Based on score in NEET exam, Singh was allotted a seat by Baba Farid University, Faridkot, the nodal institute for conducting counselling for MBBS course, at Government Medical College at Amritsar under the freedom fighters' category on August 31, 2024.