Kerala HC stays 'merit-cum-means' criteria for quota

Kochi, July 26 (UNI) The Kerala High Court today stayed a July 9, 2007 order of the state government providing reservation under the head of ''merit-cum-means'' in five self-financing medical colleges in the state.

Justice S Sirijagan clarified that admission to these colleges could be made as if there was no reservation provided under the ''merit-cum-means'' criteria.

The court gave the interim order while hearing a batch of writ petitions filed by students aspiring for admissions to Sree Gokulam Medical College, Thiruvananthapuram, Kannur Medical College, Perinthalmanna MES Medical College, Palakkad Karuna Medical College and Karakonam CSI Medical College.

The petitioners had challenged the agreement between the Kerala Government and the five medical colleges on seat sharing for admissions.

The court also observed the admission to self-financing medical colleges which had signed consensual agreements with the government this year shall be made in accordance with the seat-sharing formula agreed between the government and the college managements.

However, the court made it clear that the admission should be strictly in accordance with the rank list prepared after the Common Entrance Test and those holding higher ranks would be preferred.

The colleges shall collect students fee fixed by the Fee Regulatory Committee for Professional Colleges appointed under the 2006 Professional Colleges Act.

The court also stayed the order passed by the fee regulatory committee dated July 13, 2007 prescribing the fee for the five self-financing medical colleges.

UNI