A fresh application for starting medical/dental colleges or for renewal of permission need not be submitted every year if no decision has been taken on the earlier plea, the Centre informed the Supreme Court on Wednesday.

Applications already filed by colleges with the Medical Council of India for recognition and other permission would not lapse with the expiry of the deadline (for that particular academic year). An application, which was not disposed of within the time frame, would be treated as pending until a final decision on it was taken, Additional Solicitor-General, Gopal Subramanian told a three-judge Bench comprising Chief Justice Y.K. Sabharwal and Justices C.K. Thakker and P.K. Balasubramanyan.

The Bench was hearing a batch of petitions from several medical and dental colleges seeking leave to admit students from this academic year, after the court had refused permission last year.

It asked the Centre and the MCI to sort out their differences over grant of permission for setting up new colleges as well as for renewal of permission already granted. It asked them to put their heads together and evolve a strategy.

Earlier, Mr. Subramanian referred to the last date for MCI inspection — June 15, 2006 — and said July 15 should be treated as the deadline for passing the orders by the Union Government.

This would mean if the MCI found during inspection any deficiency in infrastructure, it could be rectified by July 15 so that the Centre might pass appropriate orders.

The Bench asked the Centre and the MCI to consider the problems the colleges faced and inform the court within two weeks of the points agreed to between them on the issue.

Mr. Subramanian said the Government would play a proactive role to resolve the issue. "If the MCI cooperates with the Government there will be no problem."

The Bench said the infrastructure put up by the colleges should not go waste and there should be no last-minute grant of seats in the new colleges.

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