HC Paves Way for College-Level MBBS Admissions in Maharashtra Private Medical Colleges
In a major development affecting the closure of the NEET-UG 2025 admission cycle, the Bombay High Court (HC) has granted relief to a private medical college, effectively allowing for the conduct of college-level MBBS admissions for remaining vacant seats. This decision marks a significant shift in the centralized counselling process in Maharashtra, offering a last-chance opportunity for aspirants to secure a medical seat.
In a major development affecting the closure of the NEET-UG 2025 admission cycle, the Bombay High Court (HC) has granted relief to a private medical college, effectively allowing for the conduct of college-level MBBS admissions for remaining vacant seats. This decision marks a significant shift in the centralized counselling process in Maharashtra, offering a last-chance opportunity for aspirants to secure a medical seat.
The Current Vacancy Scenario
The urgency for this ruling stemmed from a substantial number of remaining vacant seats in private medical institutions across the state. The data presented to the court highlighted a concerning number of seats that were still up for grabs even after the conclusion of the Mop-Up Rounds:
- Private Medical Colleges: A total of 451 seats out of 3,599 are yet to be filled. This large vacancy indicates a failure to fill seats, particularly in the management or NRI quota, through the centralized mechanism.
- Government Medical Colleges: In contrast, only a minimal number of 37 seats out of 4,936 government quota seats remain vacant, demonstrating the high demand and successful filling of subsidized seats.
The vast disparity underscores the need for private colleges to utilize an alternative mechanism to fill their highly-priced seats before the academic session commences.
VIMS Palghar and the Legal Precedent
The legal challenge was spearheaded by the Vedantaa Institute of Medical Sciences (VIMS), Palghar, the same institution that previously challenged the state's restrictive NRI quota definitions. VIMS, with an intake capacity of 150 seats, reported a staggering 96 seats still vacant. The college argued that with the centralized counselling rounds exhausted, allowing institute-level admissions was the only way to prevent these seats from going waste, which is a loss for both the institution and the deserving medical aspirants.
The High Court's decision essentially permits these private colleges to conduct a final round of admissions directly at the institute level to fill the remaining 451 seats. This is a common practice in final rounds to ensure complete seat utilization, especially when centralized counselling fails to attract enough candidates or resolves procedural issues related to NRI/Management quota seats.
Implications for Aspirants
This ruling creates an unexpected but crucial opportunity for thousands of NEET-UG 2025 qualified candidates who may have missed out on earlier rounds or were placed lower on the state merit list. Aspirants who meet the minimum percentile requirement for MBBS admission but have not yet secured a seat should immediately:
- Monitor the Official Website: Look for specific notification releases from the State Common Entrance Test Cell (CET Cell) or the colleges themselves regarding the application process, fee structure, and schedule for this college-level round.
- Prepare Documents: Have all original documents, including the NEET UG scorecard, ready for immediate physical verification and admission.
This process is highly competitive and typically involves candidates physically reporting to the college for spot admission. Aspirants must track the developments closely. For regular updates and final admission schedules, follow Only Education News.