New Delhi, Jun 7 (IANS): The Supreme Court Thursday permitted the union health ministry to undertake online counselling for admission of students to undergraduate medical courses for 15 percent central seats in government colleges across the country.

An apex court bench of Justice K.S. Radhakrishnan and Justice J.S. Khehar cleared the decks for online counselling for admissions to MBBS and BDS after it gave the go-ahead to the scheme submitted by the health ministry in this regard.

The scheme is on the lines of the prevailing online counselling for PG (post-graduate) courses.

Under the scheme, students seeking admission to nearly 2,500 seats under all-India quota would get three instead of two chances, as available now, to exercise their option in choosing their colleges.

The online counselling would also eliminate the chances of central seats being taken away by the states after they fall vacant.

There are about 20,000 undergraduate medical seats in government colleges in the country and all eligible students can take their chances for online counselling for all-India seats.

The counselling for undergraduate medical courses will commence on June 24 and will continue till September-end.