In Brief
Private medical colleges in Madhya Pradesh challenged Rule 12(8)(a) of the state's 2018 admission rules, which prohibited them from filling seats that remained vacant after the mop-up counselling round due to non-joining or resignation of allotted students. The colleges argued this violated their rights under Articles 14 and 19(1)(g) of the Constitution. Although the government's aim of preventing merit-based manipulation was legitimate, the Court held the rule disproportionate and unreasonable. Keeping seats vacant does not address the underlying problem, causes financial loss to colleges, and wastes national resources. The measure lacked rational nexus with the stated objective and failed the proportionality test, as less restrictive alternatives existed. The Court set aside the High Court judgment and allowed the appeals.
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