SWATANTER KUMAR, J. - (1.) The petitioners in the abovementioned seven writ petitions under Articles 226/227 of the Constitution of India, impugn/challenge the Punjab Medical Entrance Test, 2001, hereinafter to be referred as P.M.E. Test-2001, held by Baba Farid University of Health Sciences, Faridkot, for and on behalf of the State of Punjab for admission to the M.B.B.S., B.D.S., B.A.M.S., B.H.M.S., Bachelor of Physiotherapy and Bachelor of Nursing courses, in the specified institutions, on the following grounds :- a) It was neither possible nor probable for the University to declare the result within few hours after the holding of the P.M.E. Test-2001; b) The result has not been fairly complied and declared in accordance with the terms of the brochure; c) The petitioners are entitled to re-evaluation/re-check of their OMR response sheets and the conditions of the brochure to the contrary are liable to be set aside; d) The direction to use the pencil in answering the questions as again arbitrary and provides ample opportunity for the respondents to tamper with the OMR response sheets to cause prejudice to the candidates.
(2.) Though in every petition the petitioners have not taken each of the aforestated grounds, still the learned Counsel for the petitioners have strenuously argued all the above points on the basis of the facts stated in their respective writ petitions. As all the petitions raise common questions of fact and law for consideration of the Court, it will be appropriate to dispose of these petitions by a common judgment.
(3.) The petitioners after passing their qualifying examination of 10 + 2, had taken the PME Test-2001 for admission to various medical courses in the State of Punjab. On 25-6-2001 petitioners were issued admit cards with different roll numbers. On 7-7-2001 entrance test was conducted by the concerned authorities at six different cities, namely, Amritsar, Jalandhar, Patiala, Ludhicna, Faridkot and Hoshiarpur in 25 centres. According to the petitioners the test concluded at 2.00 p.m. and the respondents had declared the result on the intervening night on the same very day i.e. 7-7-2001 at 11.00 p.m. The petitioners got ranks, like Mr. Ashish Kapuria got rank No. 555. According to this petitioner, alike the others, he was expecting very high rank i.e. between 60 to 100. According to the petitioners they are brilliant students and they have secured very high marks in their qualifying examinations. According to the petitioners a news item appeared on 10-7-2001 where it was indicated that malpractices had been adopted in the said examination. The petitioners got very low ranks and had, therefore, requested the respondent-authorities to re-evaluate and re-check the OMR response sheets of the petitioners as they were ready to deposit any charges, but such requests were declined by the respondents.;