Bombay HC directs govt to issue orphan certificates to 2 students wanting to appear for NEET
India Today
Bombay High Court has directed the Maharashtra government to issue orphan certificates to two students wishing to appear for NEET.
The Maharashtra government has been directed by the Bombay High Court to issue an ‘orphan certificate’ to two students who are currently living in a home for abandoned and orphaned girls in the city, so that they can sit for the NEET 2022 examination.
This order was issued by a division bench of Justice Revati Mohite Dere and Madhav Jamdar on May 6 while hearing a petition filed by the NGO which runs the children’s home, ‘The Nest India Foundation’.
Two residents of the facility had applied to the Mumbai District Women and Child Development Office for an 'orphan certificate' in November 2020, according to the application.
Both of the students needed the certificate for applying for the National Eligibility cum Entrance Test (NEET)-2022 in addition to admission to the MBBS course.
It was contended by the petitioner’s advocate, Abhinav Chandrachud, that despite several trips and phone calls to the concerned office, the certificate was not issued.
Appearing for the government, Purnima Kantharia informed the court that the applications had certain deficiencies and shortcomings due to which the certificate was not issued.
The court noted that the application for an orphan certificate was made in November 2020, and the concerned authorities have taken no action to date.
