Streamline entire education system, Supreme Court tells State, Central governments

New Delhi: The entire education system of the country should be streamlined so that students do not have to face stress while seeking admissions to various courses, the Supreme Court said Tuesday.

Taking note of "plight of students" due to uncertainty over admissions to post graduate medical and dental courses in the academic year 2019-20 in Maharashtra, the apex court said such a situation is difficult for the meritorious students. "Our anxiety is for the students. This happens every year and there is uncertainty in the mind of students with regard to admissions in medical or other courses," a vacation bench comprising Justices Indu Malhotra and M R Shah said while hearing the Maharashtra medical admission matter.

"Why don't you streamline the entire education system? Why this tension and stress to the students? Why all these litigations," the bench said. "We are telling the states as well the Union of India to look at the plight of the students," the bench said, adding that uncertainty over admissions would have an effect on the entire career of the candidates. The bench pulled up the Maharashtra government for the uncertainty in the state regarding admission to post graduate medical and dental courses in the academic year 2019-20. "State of Maharashtra is solely responsible for this situation and the uncertainty which is there today also," the bench said.

The court observed that students were worried about the colleges and courses which they would get for further studies and it was difficult for them to remain in uncertainty like this. The bench, while referring to the orders passed by the apex court and the subsequent development in the Maharashtra PG admission matter, said it does not want to pass any order which would effect other students. "It is too late to disturb anything. We do not want to create further problem," it said.

The bench ordered Maharashtra government to conduct final round of counselling for admissions to post graduate medical and dental courses in the academic year 2019-20 by June 14. The apex court had earlier stayed the Maharashtra government's notification to grant 10 per cent reservation in admissions for academic year 2019-20 to economically weaker sections (EWS) in PG medical and dental courses.