HYDERABAD: A two-judge panel of the Telangana High Court refused relief to a 16-year-old girl wanting to take the NEET medical entrance despite being underage. The panel of Chief Justice Alok Aradhe and Justice J. Anil Kumar was hearing a petition filed by Rithika Monika, represented by her mother, who contended that her child’s performances in Class 10 and Intermediate showed that she was an extraordinarily gifted student.
The panel called upon senior advocate L. Ravichander as amicus to assist the court. He pointed out that the regulations indeed prescribed inhibition whereby a candidate was required to be 17 years old as of December 31 and that the present petition was in the nature of seeking a mandamus contrary to the statute.
The panel earlier voiced sympathy for the candidate but was also aware that entertaining such a petition could open the floodgates of multiple claimants. The panel further recorded the judgmnts of different High Court, including Delhi and Chennai, cited by Pujitha, the counsel for the Medical Council of India, and dismissed the writ petition.
