MUMBAI, July 29: A difference of three marks can push an aspirant for a professional course up by 600 seats on the merit list, as has been proved in Prashant Prabhakar Ranbhor's case. But, if not for a Bombay High Court ruling, Prashant Prabhakar Ranbhor, an applicant for the MBBS course, would have been deprived of three extra marks in the highly competitive race of admissions to medical college.

The division bench of Justice A V Sawant and J A Patil have ordered the Director of Medical Education and the Dean of B J Medical College, Pune, to consider Ranbhor's application for MBBS admission as per the revalued marks which put him high in the merit list.

Ranbhor was earlier denied an appropriate place in the merit list, even after he produced the proof of three extra marks in Biology. He had secured 80 per cent in Biology, but revaluation bettered his aggregate percentage in the PCB (Physics, Chemistry, Biology) group, subjects crucial for the medical admissions.

Dissatisfied with his higher secondary exam results, on June 7, Ranbhor applied for revaluation. His efforts bore fruit on July 4, at 3.15 pm when he was informed about the increase of three marks. He immediately faxed a letter to the college and received an acknowledgement from the authorities at 3.47 pm. And yet, the regional merit list displayed the following day did not show Ranbhor's new status. The college directed him to the dean of the Grant Medical College, for further enquiry. His father met the dean, who in turn directed the petitioner to the Director of Medical Education. The director was unavailable and therefore a written submission was presented. However, the state merit list published on July 9 had not taken Ranbhor's verified marks into consideration.

Then, the petitioner, represented by advocate Girish Kulkarni, moved HC, stating the competent authorities have violated the MBBS admission rule (rule six) which provides that increase in marks on reverification should be considered, if a communication to this effect is made before publication of regional final merit list. Government pleader R D Rane admitted Ranbhor's fax message had reached the authorities before publication of the merit list. Kulkarni argued the revaluation had brightened Ranbhor's prospects of securing admission to the MBBS course. Addition of three marks can help him ``jump up 600 seats in the merit list'', he argued.

Copyright © 1997 Indian Express Newspapers (Bombay) Ltd.