Srinagar, March 15 -- ".this Court firmly upholds the principle that meritorious candidates cannot be arbitrarily deprived of their rightful admission, particularly in professional courses, such as MBBS, where each academic year is of paramount importance," said a bench of Justice Wasim Sadiq Nargal, adding, "The denial of admission due to an illegal or arbitrary administrative action constitutes a violation of Article 14 of the Constitution, as it unfairly discriminates against deserving candidates."

While monetary compensation may serve as an additional remedy, the court said, it cannot be a substitute for actual admission, especially in cases where the candidate has approached the Court in a timely manner and the denial of admission h...