Case Note & Summary
The petitioner, Alan Ryan Lobo, a minor represented by his father, filed a writ petition under Article 226 of the Constitution of India before the High Court of Karnataka. The petitioner had registered for the NEET UG 2018 examination conducted by the Karnataka Examinations Authority (KEA). The grievance was against Clause 2.1 of Chapter 4 of the Karnataka State Information Bulletin UG NEET 2018, which stipulated that a candidate must have studied in Karnataka for a period of ten years from 1st Standard to the qualifying examination and must have passed SSLC/10th or 2nd PUC/12th from Karnataka. The petitioner contended that this condition was arbitrary, unreasonable, and violative of Article 14 of the Constitution, as it had no rational nexus with the object of determining eligibility for medical admissions. The respondents, including KEA, the State of Karnataka, and the Directorate of Medical Education, defended the condition as a reasonable classification to ensure that only students who have genuinely studied in Karnataka are eligible. The court, after hearing the parties, found that the ten-year study condition was not based on any intelligible differentia and was discriminatory. The court held that the condition was arbitrary and violative of Article 14. Consequently, the court quashed Clause 2.1 of Chapter 4 of the Information Bulletin to the extent it imposed the ten-year study requirement. The court directed the respondents to consider the petitioner's application for admission without applying the impugned condition.
Headnote
A) Constitutional Law - Article 14 - Reasonable Classification - Eligibility Condition for Medical Admissions - The condition requiring a candidate to have studied in Karnataka for ten years from 1st Standard to qualifying exam and passed SSLC/10th or 2nd PUC/12th from Karnataka was held to be arbitrary and discriminatory, lacking any rational nexus with the object of admitting students who have studied in Karnataka. The court held that such a condition is violative of Article 14 of the Constitution of India. (Paras 1-5) B) Medical Education - NEET UG 2018 - Eligibility Criteria - The court quashed Clause 2.1 of Chapter 4 of the Karnataka State Information Bulletin UG NEET 2018 to the extent it imposed the ten-year study condition, as it was found to be unreasonable and not based on any intelligible differentia. (Paras 1-5)
Issue of Consideration
Whether Clause 2.1 of Chapter 4 of the Karnataka State Information Bulletin UG NEET 2018, requiring a candidate to have studied in Karnataka for ten years from 1st Standard to qualifying exam and passed SSLC/10th or 2nd PUC/12th from Karnataka, is arbitrary and violative of Article 14 of the Constitution of India.
Final Decision
The court quashed Clause 2.1 of Chapter 4 of the Karnataka State Information Bulletin UG NEET 2018 to the extent it stipulates that a candidate should have studied in Karnataka for a period of ten years from 1st Standard to qualifying exam and passed SSLC/10th or 2nd PUC/12th from Karnataka. The respondents were directed to consider the petitioner's application for admission without applying the impugned condition.
Law Points
- Article 14 of the Constitution of India
- Reasonable Classification
- Eligibility Criteria for Medical Admissions
- NEET UG 2018
- Karnataka Examinations Authority
