Karnataka High Court tells college to pay Rs 1 crore each to 3 students

Bengaluru: In a significant judgment the Karnataka high court on Wednesday ordered Kempegowda Institute of Medical Sciences (KIMS) to pay Rs 1 crore each as compensation to three students who had applied for admission for the first year MBBS course for the academic year 2014-15.

They had claimed eligibility to the last seat under the management quota. At least four students had approached the high court claiming eligibility to the last seat stating that they had paid huge money as donation for admission. The students had locked horns with each other before the court for admission to the lone seat.

However Justice H G Ramesh ordered RGUHS and Medical Council of India to approve the admission of one Girish Rithvik as he was more eligible with highest rank in the entrance tests, compared to the other three.

As huge sums of money were collected by both KIMS College and the Rajya Vokkaligara Sangha, which runs the educational institution, allegedly as donations from the four students, the court observed, “Having regard to the nature of the undertaking obtained by the college and the way the money was collected to give admission to the student, I am afraid whether the Sangha is managing an educational institution or a business house. The undertaking given by the parents and guardians of the students for MBBS admission shows the malpractices in the college and the Sangha. The MCI should take serious note of this and take corrective measures.”

The court has also ordered the college to return the amount to all the four students, including the student who got admission, who had paid money in crores for the admission. The court directed the college and the Sangha to pay compensation and also to return their money in one month's time. Meanwhile the court has made it clear that its order will not come in the way for the Medical Council of India for initiating action against the college and the Sangha as per law.