Case Title: National Medical Commission & Anr. Vs. Annasaheb Chudaman Patil Memorial Medical College & Ors

A Divisional Bench Chief Justice DY Chandrachud, Justices P Narasimha and JB Pardiwala, of the Supreme Court, directed Annasaheb Chudaman Patil Memorial, ACPM Medical College to deposit 2.5 crores as a penalty within a period of four weeks for “overreaching” its order and admitting 100 MBBS students despite a stay order.

The Court directed that the amount should be deposited at AIIMS within the next four weeks. However, the SC has protected the students and not interfered with the admissions.

The matter regarding illegal MBBS Admissions was heard by the Supreme Court Bench wherein the bench had issued a stay order which prevented ACPM Medical College from taking in new students under the MBBS programme, However, the college continued to admit students.

Upon hearing this, the bench decided not to touch the admissions of students, but instead asked the college to pay the fine for defying orders. The college has been asked to deposit the fine with AIIMS New Delhi for defying the orders shared regarding MBBS Admissions.

ACPM Medical College has a total of 100 MBBS Seats available. For the academic years 2017-18 and 2018-19, the college was not allowed to carry out MBBS admissions. In 2020, ACPM submitted an application to increase the number of seats from 100 to 150 for the academic year of 2021-22. The colleges were also required to apply for renewal of its recognition. In 2021, the college was given recognition by the Undergraduate medical education board under the National Medical Commission, NMC.

However, after the Union health Ministry began receiving complaints regarding the infrastructure of the college, a surprise inspection was conducted when the college was found to have a gross deficiency of faculty, residents and clinical material and NMC withdrew the permissions granted, APCM Medical College also moved to Bombay High Court regarding the withdrawal of its permissions.

After multiple hearings, Bombay HC upheld the withdrawal of admissions of 50 students but allowed the college to continue with the admission of 100 students for the academic year of 2021-22. However, the Supreme Court later issued a stay on this order. Despite the stay, MBBS Admissions continued for ACPM Medical College in Maharashtra.

Once the order of the High Court permitting the Medical College to admit 100 students for 2021-22 was stayed, the Medical College could not have unilaterally chosen to proceed with the admission process. This is plainly in breach of the directions of this court,” stated the Supreme Court.

SC has now imposed a fine of Rs 2.5 crores on the medical college. The college has also been given instructions that it cannot recover this money from students in any manner.

Story Update By: Ms. Sai Sushmitha, Correspondent at Lawgic.

Edited By: Ms. Nandini Nair, Content-Head at Lawgic.