THE Nagpur Bench of the Bombay High Court has dismissed three writ petitions challenging the inclusion of 100 newly created MBBS seats in the NEET UG ‘stray vacancy round’ for the academic year 2025–26. The petitions were filed by three students who claimed that the decision to add 100 MBBS seats only at the stray vacancy stage was illegal and deprived meritorious candidates of a fair chance to secure admission in earlier counselling rounds. The petitioners argued that after completion of the third round of the Common Admission Process (CAP Round 3), the State Government issued resolutions approving 100 additional MBBS seats in two medical colleges Ashwini Medical College, Solapur, and Malti Medical College, Murtizapur, Akola.

 

They contended that these seats should have been includ ed in CAP Round 3 and not directly added to the Stray Vacancy Round. According to them, this decision forced several deserving students to take admission in other courses such as BDS or through institutional quota. The R Vyas noted that the admission process had already been completed. The academic session had already begun. All 100 additional MBBS seats had been filled and students’ rights had crystallised. State Government and the State CET Cell defended their action, stating that the Maharashtra University of Health Sciences (MUHS) granted first-time affiliation and increased intake capacity in the two colleges only on November 4, 2025, which was the last date of CAP Round 3.

 

Since there is no provision for conducting a fourth CAP round, the authorities said the only option was to include the additional seats in the Online Stray Vacancy Round. They argued that not doing so would have result ed in the seats remaining vacant which could cause loss to eligible students. The division bench of Justice Anil S Kilor and Justice Rajnish The Court observed that the increase in seats and the last date of CAP Round 3 falling on the same day appeared to be a coincidence. It held that disturbing the completed admission process would not be in the larg er interest of students. The bench also noted that there was no challenge to MUHS’s decision granting affiliation and increasing intake capacity. The High Court dis missed all three writ petitions.