VIJAYAWADA: The Andhra Pradesh High Court has upheld the right of an MBBS student to continue her medical education, ruling that unavoidable breaks due to severe financial hardship or illness cannot be counted towards the four‑year limit prescribed for completing the first year of the course.
Delivering the judgment, Justice Nyapathy Vijay observed that a temporary interruption in studies is not a reflection of a student’s academic merit and that rigid application of regulations should not deprive deserving students of their education. The Court noted that preventing the student from pursuing the course at this stage would amount to denying society the services of a future doctor. The student, Vineetha, daughter of Joseph Paul from Narsapur in West Godavari district, secured admission under the B-category at GSL Medical College, Rajamahendravaram, for the 2020-21 academic year. Owing to severe financial difficulties, she discontinued her studies for two years before rejoining the course in 2024 after paying `62 lakh towards the fee.
However, Dr. NTR University of Health Sciences refused to permit her to appear for the first-year examination, contending that the four-year limit under the regulations had expired in December 2024. Her father challenged the decision before the High Court. During the pendency of the case, the Court allowed Vineetha to write the examination through an interim order, following which she cleared the first year with good marks.
In its final judgment, the Court ruled that the period of interruption due to compelling financial hardship could not be counted towards the prescribed four-year limit and permitted her to complete the MBBS course.