Madras HC ask centre to take stand on refugee kids’ MBBS admission

Chennai: The Madras high court has directed the Centre to inform the court its intent on making provision for admission of children of Sri Lankan refugees in MBBS course. A division bench, comprising Chief Justice Sanjay Kishan Kaul and Justice T.S. Sivagnanam, gave the directive and posted to June 26 further hearing of a PIL petition by advocate R. Sri Priya. Based on a newspaper report that the application of T. Nandini for MBBS course was rejected though she secured good marks, solely on the ground that she was a Sri Lankan refugee’s daughter, Sri Priya filed the PIL to direct the Kilpauk medical college to accept Nandini’s application and evaluated it.

On Wednesday, additional solicitor general (ASG) G. Rajagopalan produced before the court a Union home ministry communication which stated that according to the ministry of external affairs, every year, some seats were being allotted for foreign students in MBBS course under self-financing scheme for friendly countries, including Sri Lanka. However, children of refugees were not entitled for admission under the scheme.

The bench said the petition, directed to be treated as representation, amounted to a request for making a provision for the children of refugees. Thus, the issue was whether or not the government is inclined to make any such provision, it said. The ASG sought a week’s time to get clear instructions on the issue. The court said it may be kept in mind that the case related to a Sri Lankan refugee’s child, born and educated in India.