New Delhi, Jan 21 In a big relief to about 400 medical students, the Delhi High Court today directed the Medical Council of India (MCI) and the Maharashtra University of Health Sciences, Nasik, to accept their examination forms for the first year MBBS Examination which is due in May 2008.

The students, studying in a private college, alleged that the University has"arbitrarily"rejected their forms on the ground that they had scored less than 50 per cent in the All- India MBBS entrance examination 2007.
Justice S Ravinder Bhat passed the interim order and asked the university to permit the students to appear in the examination.

A petition was filed by a group of students, studying in B J Medical College in Pune, through their counsel R K Saini.

They were selected in August 2007 for MBBS through the All India Pre- Medical and Pre-Dental Examination and they have also appeared in the first semester examination in January 2008. Their second semester examination is due on April 7, Saini added.

However, the Maharashtra University has returned their forms for the First Year MBBS Examination which is due in May 2008 on the ground of&aposnon-eligibility,&aposthe counsel said.

Meanwhile, the college issued letters informing them that as per the MCI rules, 50 per cent marks are required to be scored by a candidate in the entrance examination for admission to MBBS course.