Bangalore, Jun 22 (DC): Taking cognizance of a bunch of petitions by serving MBBS doctors from Karnataka, challenging the state High Court order quashing the “rural weightage” marks for post-graduate admissions, the Supreme Court on Monday stayed the admission process till the next hearing on June 28.

“Admission list will not be finalised till next date,” a vacation bench of Justices R.M. Lodha and A.K. Patnaik said while issuing notice to the Karnataka government. The top court also stayed the contempt proceedings in the HC against some parties relating to the admission process while asking private institutions to submit counter affidavits within three days.

The petitioner doctors highlighted the issues of contract and regular appointments, availability of “rural weightage” marks for PG admissions to those MBBS and BDS doctors, who had served in rural areas for a specified period. Their counsel stated that the HC in its October 26, 2009 order, while framing admission guidelines for academic session 2010-11, quashed rural weightage benefits. The HC in its order recorded that the time schedule for the admission should be strictly adhered to, failing which defaulting parties would be liable to contempt.

The doctors said they were otherwise eligible for admission based on merit-plus-rural weightage marks but due to quashing of weightage marks, their chances of admission were adversely affected.

The top court was informed that the Rajiv Gandhi University of Health Sciences has already set in motion the process of admission to the PG courses for 2010-11.