Archive · 19 Dec 2025
Supreme Court Regularises BDS Degrees in Rajasthan
The Supreme Court of India has decided to make official the BDS degrees of students from private dental colleges in Rajasthan who were admitted with a lower NEET score in 2016-17.
The court also fined the colleges and the state government for not following the rules.
The students will have to promise to provide free dental services in Rajasthan during emergencies or natural disasters for up to two years in their lifetime.
The court said this decision is only to help these students and should not be used as an example for other cases.
The colleges and the government were found to have broken the rules by admitting students with lower scores than allowed and not informing the colleges about important decisions.
The Supreme Court regularised BDS degrees of students from private dental colleges in Rajasthan admitted with NEET percentile relaxation in 2016-17.
The court imposed penalties of Rs 10 crore on each of the 11 erring private dental colleges and Rs 10 lakh on the Rajasthan government for flouting norms.
Students benefiting from the regularisation must provide an undertaking to offer pro-bono services in Rajasthan during emergencies for up to two years in their lifetime.
The court directed the Rajasthan State Legal Services Authority to use the interest from the deposited penalties for maintaining and improving facilities like One Stop Centres and Child Care Institutions.
The court emphasised that the decision is not to be treated as a precedent and expressed displeasure at the undermining of medical education standards.
- Who
- Students with BDS degrees from private dental colleges in Rajasthan, the Supreme Court, erring private dental colleges, and the Rajasthan government
- What
- Regularisation of BDS degrees granted with NEET percentile relaxation, imposition of penalties on erring colleges and the state government, and requirement for pro-bono service
- When
- Academic year 2016-17, judgment pronounced on a Thursday (specific date not mentioned)
- Where
- Rajasthan, India
- Why
- To regularise the degrees of students admitted with relaxation in NEET percentile and to penalise the colleges and state government for flouting norms
- Relaxation Year
- 2016-17
- Number of Colleges
- 11
- Penalty on Colleges
- Rs 10 crore each
- Penalty on Rajasthan Government
- Rs 10 lakh
- Pro-bono Service Period
- Maximum 2 years in lifetime
- Minimum Qualifying Percentile for BDS
- 50th percentile (unreserved), 40th (SC/ST/OBC), 45th (locomotory disability)
- Authority for Percentile Reduction
- Central government in consultation with DCI
