New Delhi, July 22: The Supreme Court today began hearing on a bunch of petitions for determination of the ambit power of the state governments to regulate fee structure and process of selection of candidates for private unaided minority educational institutions. Thousands of candidates are awaiting the outcome of the hearing of the petitions as most of the states and numerous private reputed colleges have virtually frozen the admission process for professional courses - medicine, dental and engineering - for this academic year. The court also mentioned about the controversy over seats in professional colleges being sold for a fee and said would examine the issues pertaining to capitation fee. A five-judge constitution bench comprising chief justice V N Khare, Justice S N Variava, Justice K G Balakrishnan. Justice Arijit Pasayat and Justice S B Sinha made it clear right at the beginning that they would hear the petitions strictly within the parameters laid down by the 11-judge constitution bench in its judgement pertaining to minority educational institutions.

The chief justice said that they would only attempt to clarify the law laid down by the 11-judge bench and "it will not review the judgement pronounced last year."

The bench was given assurances by various state governments, Medical Council of India (MCI) and All India Council for Technical Education (AICTE) that the law declared by the Supreme Court would override the rules and regulations framed by them for educational institutions.
Bureau Report