Hyderabad High Court intervenes in controversial matter of web counseling at Dr NTR University

Hyderabad High Court has made it clear that any selections made on the basis of web counseling in medical colleges affiliated to Dr NTR University of Health Sciences and Dr Kaloji Narayana Rao University of Health Sciences is subject to its final decision, in turn based on the petitions filed in the court.

The issue of implementation of web counselling of PG medical education in Telangana and AP has led to protest by junior doctors in the state, for their fear of losing medical seats based on merit in government and private institutes. The Telangana Junior Doctors Association has also approached the health minister’s office on the matter.

A writ appeal has been filed by Dr M Apoorva and others to challenge an order which directs a single judge to accept options through SMS on hearing on the case. Another petition has been filed by Dr Karunakar to challenge the universities for not allowing him to do complete verification and evaluate option in AP and Telangana. One more petition by Dr Abhishek and others questions authority’s action for showing candidates with merit under the reservation category and allotment of seats to them on that basis.

Advocate KV Simhadri, in his petition submission has also highlighted that if the candidates are not allowed to complete their options, it will act as a huge deterrent and loss to candidates who want to service in the state. Also, showing candidate in reserved category will hamper the chances of candidates who want to seek admission under the reservations category.

Siddhartha medical College in Vijayawada and Osmania Medical College in Hyderabad should be treated as state-wide colleges and shall allot seats of 42 pc to Andhra, 36 pc to Telangana and 22 pc to Rayalaseema, he noted in his submission to the court and as accessed by Express.

The counsel pointed out that as both the colleges were not shown as state-wide colleges in web counselling, the students of Osmania University have lost 20 PG seats.

He urged the court to cancel all the admissions made so far and order for a fresh counselling.

After hearing the case, the bench observed that any selection in the web counselling is subjected to the final verdict of the court. The case was posted to June 3.