Private colleges deny admissions to PG medical students over fee row

With just a day left for deadline, candidates are under tremendous pressure. Representational Image

Around 400 medical students, who have secured seats in post graduate courses in private medical colleges, are a troubled lot. The colleges have denied them admission over an impending debate on fee structure - finalised by the Fee Regulatory Authority (FRA) - with the Directorate of Medical Education and Research (DMER). If the students are unable to secure admission till April 12, they will be thrown out of the centralised admission system and not even get a betterment chance in the second round.

With just a day left for deadline, candidates are under tremendous pressure with DMER issuing no guidelines regarding the issue. These students fear losing out on their chance of pursuing PG course despite being eligible for it.

Why should we suffer?
"Why should the DMER include private colleges in the merit list if they know they are not going to admit students. Unless I secure admission in this college, I will not be considered for the chance of betterment in the next round. Why should students suffer?" questioned a candidate who has completed MBBS from B J Medical College in Pune who has gotten seat in Vasant Pawar Medical college in Nashik, but cannot take admission there.

Similarly, another student who has completed MBBS from Vasant Pawar Medical College and has been allotted seat in the same college for PG, said, "It was a shocker when they denied admission. There is no clarity from DMER too regarding what needs to be done in this situation."

DMER's lookout
Kamal Kishore Kadam, president, Association of Management of Unaided Private Medical and Dental Colleges, said, "We had already made it clear through our communication to DMER that we will not give admissions until the fee-related issue is resolved. Now, it is DMER's lookout on how to ensure students don't suffer."

He added, "When the government itself is showing expenditure going beyond Rs 25 lakh per student in their colleges, how can FRA restrict private medical colleges at Rs 8 lakh? It is only because 99 per cent of the expenditure of government colleges is taken care of through grants that the fees are not high. The Medical Council of India has the same regulations for both types of colleges. If we have to maintain that quality, we have to charge the fee."

No reason to worry
Dr. Pravin Shingare, director, DMER told mid-day, "There is no reason for these students to worry. They should submit a written application to us stating they went to a certain college allotted to them through first round of the admission but were denied admission. We will then consider them for the next round."

Also read: PG seats more important to med students than practical experience