The Madhya Pradesh High Court has permitted the Madhya Pradesh Paramedical Council to submit records concerning the recognition of paramedical institutes in a sealed cover, amid an ongoing dispute over the locus standi of the petitioner, the Law Students' Association. This decision comes as the Supreme Court is presently considering whether the petitioner is entitled to raise concerns regarding the functioning and recognition process of paramedical institutions in the state.
Earlier, on July 16, the High Court had issued an interim order restraining institutes recognized by the Paramedical Council in 2025 from conducting academic sessions for the years 2023–24 and 2024–25. This order was based on concerns about the legitimacy of retrospective recognition and the functioning of certain colleges. However, the Supreme Court stayed this interim order and began hearing the question of the petitioner’s standing to file the case.
During the proceedings in the High Court, photographs submitted by the petitioner raised serious concerns about colleges offering nursing and paramedical courses from the same physical premises. These visuals suggested that institutions might be operating without proper infrastructure and approval, simply altering signage to portray themselves as distinct entities for inspection purposes. In response, the petitioner requested access to the records of recognition granted by the Paramedical Council.
However, the Council’s legal representative objected, citing the pending decision of the Supreme Court on the petitioner’s locus standi. It was argued that if the Supreme Court ultimately held that the petitioner was not entitled to bring the matter before the court, providing such sensitive records to them prematurely could have undesirable consequences. Agreeing with this reasoning, the High Court ruled that the Paramedical Council should submit the relevant documents in a sealed soft copy format, accessible only to the court for its review.
The court observed that the issue of paramedical and nursing colleges operating from the same location posed a serious risk to public health and warranted close scrutiny. The petitioner also referenced minutes from a recent meeting of the Executive Committee of the Madhya Pradesh Medical Science University (MPMSU), held on August 4, where it was decided that the Quality Council of India (QCI) would conduct inspections of paramedical institutions. The petitioner requested that QCI be directed to ensure during inspections that no other institution, such as a nursing college, was operating from the same premises.
While the Paramedical Council objected to any additional directions, stating that statutory bodies were already responsible for these inspections, the court noted the growing public distrust in institutional oversight. Citing past instances where even the CBI’s impartiality had been questioned in similar cases, the court remarked on the erosion of trust and the need for thorough and transparent inspections.
In light of these concerns, the High Court allowed the QCI to proceed with inspections and directed that it specifically verify the exclusivity of college premises. The matter is scheduled to be heard again on August 12 in the case Law Students Association v. State of MP (WP-27497/2025).
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