NEW DELHI: The Supreme Court has ruled that NRI seats in self-financing medical colleges in Kerala should not be emptied without getting students or transferred to other categories. If there are no students from Kerala, then NRI students from other states can be admitted, the apex court said.

The students' lawyer told the court that the state government had issued an order this time that a bank guarantee is not needed for those seeking admission in self-financing medical colleges. However, the bench, headed by Chief Justice S A Bobde directed to inform the students that if the final verdict of the court in the petitions questioning the bank guarantee is in favour of the managements, then a bank guarantee will have to be given. The state government should inform this.

But the guarantee will not have to be given until the court takes a final decision.

15% seats in self-financing medical colleges are reserved for NRI. The Supreme Court had last year asserted that students from other states can be admitted in 15% of the remaining 85% seats.

The final hearing on the petitions will be heard on October 31. The managements informed the court that they have no objection in hearing the final arguments via video conference. Senior advocate Jaydeep Gupta and standing counsel G Prakash appeared for the government. Senior lawyer Shyam Divan and advocate Sulfikkar Ali appeared for the managements and advocate Ramesh Babu appeared for the students.