SUPREME COURT STAYS MP HIGH COURT BAN ON 2025-RECOGNISED INSTITUTES OFFERING PARAMEDICAL COURSES FOR 2023–24 AND 2024–25:

On August 1, 2025, the Supreme Court of India stayed an interim order passed by the Madhya Pradesh High Court that had restrained paramedical institutes and granted recognition by the State Paramedical Council in 2025, from conducting academic sessions for the years 2023–2024 and 2024–2025. The apex court issued this interim relief while hearing a Special Leave Petition filed by the Registrar of the MP Paramedical Council. The bench, comprising Chief Justice of India D.Y. Chandrachud and Justice K. Vinod Chandran, also issued notice in the matter.

Senior Advocate Mukul Rohatgi, appearing on behalf of the MP Paramedical Council, submitted that the Council is a statutory body responsible for overseeing paramedical education in the state. He informed the Court that the normal academic calendar for paramedical courses commences around November each year. However, due to disruptions caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, admissions were halted, and no academic sessions took place until 2022.

Rohatgi further explained that the MP Paramedical Council was dissolved on March 5, 2024, in light of the enactment of the National Commission for Allied and Healthcare Professions Act, 2021, a Central legislation. By the time the Council was dissolved, applications for the academic year 2023–2024 had already been received, but no further action could be taken due to the lack of an operative regulatory body. Recognising the need to bridge this administrative gap, the Madhya Pradesh Government revived the State Paramedical Council on November 11, 2024, since the rules under the Central Act were yet to be framed.

Between January and July 2025, the Council granted recognition to 166 institutions for the 2023–2024 academic year. It was clarified that such recognition would not operate retrospectively, and students enrolled now would undertake a full two-year program beginning from their date of admission, even if the academic session was technically labelled as 2023–2024. Rohatgi emphasized that no retrospective studying was being proposed, students joining now would begin their coursework afresh and complete the standard course duration.

Recognition for the 2024–2025 academic year was also granted between March and July 2025, and regular sessions are scheduled to begin in November 2025. Rohatgi questioned the legitimacy of the High Court's interim order, which arose from a petition filed by the Law Students Association, an organisation not directly connected to paramedical education. He contended that the High Court had misinterpreted the recognition as implying retroactive operation of academic sessions, which was not the case. He further pointed out the practical implications of the stay, arguing that it would severely affect the training of essential personnel such as paramedics, lab technicians, and healthcare assistants. Referring to the national impact of COVID-19, he reminded the Court that even the Supreme Court had previously extended statutory limitation periods due to the pandemic.

The Chief Justice expressed similar concerns, questioning the relevance of law students intervening in matters related to paramedical education. The bench observed that halting these courses would unjustifiably disrupt the healthcare sector's functioning and the training pipeline for essential support staff.

In contrast, the Madhya Pradesh High Court, through a bench of Justices Atul Sreedharan and Deepak Khot, had earlier observed that it was illogical for institutions recognised only in 2025 to conduct courses labelled as part of the 2023–2024 academic year. The High Court ruled that the institutions could only be deemed operational from the date of formal recognition and that starting sessions for earlier academic years would defy logic and reason. The High Court had explicitly restrained the institutes from commencing any such courses and warned that violation of its order could lead to contempt proceedings.

However, the Supreme Court’s stay now clears the path for recognised institutions to proceed with admissions and course delivery, subject to further adjudication. The matter remains pending and will be considered further on the merits in due course.