25 Christian Medical College, Ludhiana PG seats filled in principal's absence

Faridkot: The rift between the Christian Medical College (CMC), and Baba Farid University of Health Sciences(BFUHS), has deepened with the latter going ahead with the admission process at the CMC and filling 25 of the 80 seats . This has been done despite the CMC principal having abstained from the admission process and the college having moved the Supreme Court against the government’s decision of common counselling for post graduate medical seats.

As per rules, the counselling process calls for the presence and participation of principals of all medical colleges , representatives of the Department of Welfare and Social Security and the BFUHS Vice-Chancellor.

Earlier in the month, the Medical Dialogues team reported that the Department of Medical Education and Research, Punjab (DMER), has not been able to take a decision on commencing counselling in the state, as Christian Medical College Ludhiana, (CMC), at an all college meet, declined participation. This it did by refusing to handover the matrix of the number of seats available with the college for different categories.

Read also:Christian Medical College Ludhiana refuses to release matrix of PG seats; counselling stalemate continues

The matrix of PG seats in all medical and dental colleges is necessary to start the counselling. The State’s counselling as per the Supreme Court and Medical Council of India’s designated time schedule was to commence from April 4, 2017. The counselling is to be held to fill 500 MS, MD and MDS seats, in 15 dental and medical colleges in the state.

However, the Christian Medical College has not provided the number of seats it has in Master of Surgery (MS) and Doctor of Medicine (MD) program. The reason for this dissension is the college wanting to conduct its own private counselling, for its post graduate seats. The reason given for it is that the procedure of its counselling varies from that undertaken by the Baba Farid University of Health Sciences (BFUHS), revealed sources.

Despite having made its posture clear on the issue of counselling, the CMC has not met with a positive response from the concerned authorities. The Punjab Government turned down the demand, leading to the College moving the Supreme Court, on the matter. The next date of hearing in the case is April 20.

Claiming to follow a different counselling procedure, the CMC at the meeting held told officials, that the college matrix of seats would be made available after the Supreme Court decision in this regard.

So far it will be conducting its own counselling for all UG and PG courses. Though a stay in the matter has not been ordered by the Supreme Court, the BFUHS is unable to undertake the counselling process in the state, for want of a complete list of the total PG seats, in the state.

Things as they stand at present, have the CMC refusing to participate to participate in the counselling that started yesterday. The BFUHS irrespective of the CMC college's non compliance to participation has gone ahead with the admission counselling process and filled more than 200 seats in eight medical colleges, including 25 seats in the CMC.

Vice-Chancellor, BFUHS, Dr Raj Bahadur informed that the university had proceeded with the counselling as per the Supreme Court and MCI directives. He said that the university had informed the minority college about the commencement of counselling; but it has abstained from participation. Having challenged the combined counselling in court, the CMC citing its minority status would like to conduct its own counselling. The Department of Medical Education and Research (DMER) and the CMC are in a tussle over the issue.

Of the 25 admissions granted to the CMC by the BFUHS’s combined counselling process, only three are belong to minority candidature. The college has addressed the SC on the issue, warning of it having been kept from the combined counselling process.

The apex Court on the other hand has stated that the decision on counselling would be taken on the next date of hearing, which happens to be April 20, reports Tribune.