Supreme Court Slaps ₹10 Crore Penalty on 10 Rajasthan Dental Colleges Over Illegal BDS Admissions
New Delhi.: In a decisive move to uphold standards in professional education, the Supreme Court of India has imposed a fine of ₹10 crore each on ten private dental colleges in Rajasthan for unlawful admissions to Bachelor of Dental Surgery (BDS) courses. The court termed the violations a “blatant illegality” that seriously undermined the integrity of medical education.
A bench comprising Justice J K Maheshwari and Justice Vijay Bishnoi strongly criticised both the institutions and the Rajasthan government, observing that mandatory admission norms were knowingly violated during the 2016–17 academic year.
Unauthorised NEET Percentile Relaxation Questioned
Beyond penalising the colleges, the apex court also directed the Rajasthan government to deposit ₹10 lakh with the Rajasthan State Legal Services Authority for failing to follow lawful procedures in BDS admissions.
The court found that the state government had illegally reduced the minimum NEET percentile, first by 10 percent and then by an additional 5 percent, without obtaining valid authorisation. This deviation allowed several ineligible candidates to gain admission, in direct violation of standards prescribed by the Dental Council of India. Some colleges were found to have exceeded even this unauthorised relaxation.
Degrees Protected, Institutions Held Liable
While taking a strict view of institutional misconduct, the Supreme Court granted relief to affected students by regularising their degrees, invoking its constitutional powers to ensure complete justice. The bench clarified that this protection for students would not absolve colleges or authorities of responsibility.
Advocate Rishabh Sancheti, who represented 59 students in the lead petition, stated that beneficiaries of the relief have been asked to submit affidavits before the Rajasthan High Court, committing to provide pro bono services to the state during public emergencies, including natural disasters and health crises.
Strong Warning on Medical Education Standards
The court sharply criticised the state government for granting unauthorised relaxations and for failing to promptly communicate directions issued by central authorities and the Dental Council of India. It reiterated that the 2007 admission regulations governing dental education were openly breached.
Expressing concern, the bench observed that the standards of medical education had been compromised through wilful violations, warranting stringent penalties.
The court directed that the ₹10 crore fines be deposited with the Rajasthan State Legal Services Authority within eight weeks. The funds will be utilised for social welfare initiatives across the state, including One Stop Centres, Nari Niketans, old age homes and child care institutions.
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