Transfer 27 students from unaffiliated college: Bombay HC

NAGPUR: Refusing any leniency to a city college to admit students in the absence of proper affiliation, the Nagpur bench of Bombay high court has advised students to verify any college’s credentials before taking admission.
Dismissing a plea by Satchikitsa Prasarak Mandal through president Gangadhar Nakade, a division bench comprising justices Atul Chandurkar and Mahendra Chandwani directed the State Common Entrance Test Cell to transfer 27 BPharm first year students of Adarsh Institute of Pharmacy to a nearby affiliated college.

“It is true that the students ought to have first verified the credentials and eligibility of the institute before seeking admission in BPharm course. As it has been indicated by the CET Cell that there are vacant seats available in various colleges in Nagpur region, it is directed that it would transfer 27 students so that they would not lose the academic year,” said the bench.
The bench added that the legal rights of the students are being kept open to proceed against the petitioners for the inconvenience caused for having granted admission in the absence of clear affiliation.
The petitioners claimed the Pharmacy Council of India (PCI) granted approval to Adarsh Institute on December 12, 2022, for conducting a first year BPharm course for 60 students. Even the state higher and technical education department issued a government resolution (GR) to start the course on a permanent non-grant basis.
Dr Babasaheb Ambedkar Technological University (DBATU) at Lonere in Raigad granted its conditional affiliation to the college on January 9. Subsequently, the college floated an advertisement for admissions and admitted 27 students.
The petitioners then applied to CET Cell for granting link for uploading the data of admitted students. However, its request was denied, stating that the list of third round for vacant seats had already been declared on its website.
The petitioners then approached the HC, contending that CET Cell cannot refuse admission and it would put the future of 27 students in jeopardy. An intervention was filed by Nagpur College of Homeopathy principal Dr RR Balpande and vice principal Dr Gopla Bhutada, pointing out that Adarsh Institute lacked necessary permission to admit students.
DBATU informed HC that without verification of facilities, the petitioners floated an advertisement and admitted students. Later, affiliation was withdrawn but admissions were not cancelled.
The judges added Adarsh Institute did not participate in any CAP round and hence there was no question of any seats remaining vacant in the CAP rounds for being filled by it under the institutional quota.