Jitan Ram Manjhi is out of the power but one of his orders - to admit 54 Scheduled Caste (SC) students with marks below 40 per cent in Bihar Combined Entrance Test (BCET) - into MBBS courses in 2014, is proving troublesome for the state government.

The order violates the rules of the Medical Council of India (MCI).

The principals of all nine medical colleges, including Shri Krishna Medical College and Hospital (SKMCH), followed the then chief minister's diktat and hurriedly enrolled the SC students into the MBBS course in 2014. The future of 54 students, who studied a year in respective medical colleges, is hanging in the balance.

MCI, New Delhi, has taken serious note of the wrongful admissions and directed the concerned principals not to transgress the limit and cancel the admissions immediately. "This is a clear-cut violation of MCI rules, as there shall not be any admissions into the MBBS course of students securing below 40 per cent marks in reserved categories," said a source.

SKMCH principal Usha Sharma told The Telegraph that there were seven SC students, whose admissions into the MBBS course in the reserved category in SKMCH, had been made at the behest of Manjhi in 2014.

"They have secured below 40 per cent marks in the BCET, 2014. Now, the MCI has ordered cancellation of their admissions, citing them as clear-cut violation of its prescribed rules."

The principal said the college had sought guidelines from the health department in this connection.

Sources said a handful of SC students, who had appeared in BCET 2014 and hailing mostly from Gaya district, met Manjhi, and pleaded for their admission in the MBBS course.

They apprised Manjhi of how financial constraints restricted them in securing 40 per cent marks and struck a sentimental chord, seeking his intervention for admission into the MBBS course. Manjhi then directed the mandarins of the health department and the principals of all nine medical colleges to enrol them into the MBBS course.

When the 54 SC students rushed to appear in the first-year final examination scheduled to commence from July 21, the MCI declared their admission "invalid and illegitimate".

The medical colleges should refrain from collecting their forms for the first-year final examination, else the MCI would take de-recognise the medical colleges, read a letter sent by the MCI.

After receiving the hard-hitting letter from the MCI, the principals of the medical colleges rushed to the mandarins of the health department to seek further guidelines.

The health department did not respond and has thereby left the fate of the 54 SC students in the lurch.