The Madhya Pradesh High Court has granted interim relief to a postgraduate medical student who challenged the validity of a mandatory ₹30 lakh seat-leaving bond. The student, admitted to an MD (Physiology) course under the All India Quota, chose to discontinue the program after receiving an opportunity to pursue a Ph.D. at the University of Liverpool. However, the college declined to return his original documents unless he paid the bond amount, as was required under the relevant admission regulations.
In response, the division bench comprising Justice Anand Pathak and Justice Pushpendra Yadav issued a direction permitting the release of the student’s original documents as an interim measure. The court stipulated that the release was contingent upon the student submitting an affidavit stating that he would deposit any amount determined by the court through its ongoing proceedings. The college was instructed to hand over the documents to the petitioner, by way of acknowledgment, no later than September 2. This interim relief is to remain valid until the final outcome of the petition. The student was given ten days to enable the respondents to file their response in the matter.
The petitioner’s primary contention was that the enforcement of such stringent bond conditions was arbitrary, disproportionately punitive, and therefore violative of fundamental rights. He challenged the constitutionality of the relevant rule under the Madhya Pradesh Chikitsa Shiksha Pravesh Niyam of 2015, which mandates the bond. Additionally, he drew attention to concerns raised by the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare over such regimes, and noted recommendation from the National Medical Commission advising states to reconsider these restrictive bond practices.
The College and State opposed immediate relief, arguing that mid-year seat abandonment disrupts the medical admission system and imposes losses on the public exchequer by leaving seats vacant. They sought additional time to formally respond.
In a related case, the High Court similarly granted relief to a postgraduate student from Bhopal whose original documents were withheld by her college after she discontinued her course due to the death of her father. The Court ordered the institution to return her documents without insisting on the ₹30 lakh bond, while the petition remained pending.
These judgments come amid growing scrutiny of seat-leaving bond policies for medical students. The state government had already announced the abolition of the bond condition for students admitted in 2024 and beyond. Nonetheless, students admitted in earlier batches continue to face the consequences of the rule, prompting legal challenges on grounds of fairness and mental health concerns.
The Court’s intervention highlights the judiciary's sensitivity to balancing institutional requirements with the well-being and rights of students. By allowing access to academic records pending substantive adjudication, the High Court has upheld access to education and academic mobility without unnecessary financial coercion, creating a pathway for students who have legitimate reasons for discontinuing their courses.
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