UGC asked to declare results of optmetry

Mumbai: The Bombay high court on Friday directed the University Grants Commission (UGC) to declare the second semester results of 40 students pursuing a course in optometry (health specialists in eye care), whose results have been pending since last year. The Lotus College of Optometry, which had admitted these students as the first batch for its four-year BSc degree, had approached the HC as the State government had issued a communication to the UGC stating that Optometry was a medical course and therefore could not be affiliated with an open university. Following this, their results were kept pending.

Considering the problems faced by these students the division bench of Justice R. M. Savant and Justice S. V. Kotwal said, “In our view, to avoid this piquant situation arising in future, as also to see to it that the said 40 students know where they stand, it would be just and proper to hear the petition finally at the admission stage.” The bench added, “Hence, the petition to be listed for directions on June 4, 2018 before the appropriate court so that date for the petition to be heard finally at the admission stage can be fixed.”

Acording to rules of the state government, the process laid down by the Maharashtra Medical Sciences Authority governs all medical courses. As the Juhu college had already admitted the above students, it moved the HC challenging the above communication.