352 super specialty seat vacancies costing the exchequer Rs. 200 crore: Report

The 3^rd round of centralized counselling undertaken by the Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS), has left 352 super specialty medical seats vacant. The vacancies have resulted in a loss of approximately Rs. 200 crore for both private colleges and public exchequer, points out a new report in HT. The reasons for this vacant seat fall out seems to be unreasonable SS admission conditions including bond service, court litigations and students blocking seats and falling out later. There is an overall of 2000 seats available for SS courses.

Of the 352 vacant seats mentioned above, 180 are vacant in government medical colleges, with cardiovascular and thoracic surgery taking a lead with 23 vacant seats.

Super specialty teaching is one of the most expensive due to costs involving infrastructure, faculty and equipment say, doctors. According to them average expenses for a seat range between Rs 40 lakh and Rs. 75 lakh for three years depending on the branch being pursued by a student. The most expensive among the lot being-Cardiovascular.

"The overall financial loss will be over Rs 200 crore to both private colleges and the public exchequer," Prof Dr PSN Murthy, Principal, Dr Pinnamaneni Siddhartha Institute of Medical Sciences, Andhra Pradesh told Hindustan Times .

"Government colleges subsidize fee as they cover their expenses from taxpayers' money. So, vacant seats amount to wasting peoples' money," he further added,

Director -Academics, Tata Memorial Centre, Mumbai, Dr. Kailash Sharma agreeing with Prof. Murthy cited unreasonable admission conditions as one of the main reasons behind the vacancies in various states.

He said, "Government colleges in different states ask students to sign bonds to serve in their hospitals for a minimum of three years and a maximum of 10 years after finishing the course. For instance, Tamil Nadu wants a candidate to work in the state for 10 years; only then a candidate can get admission in the state government colleges. It is unfair."

State governments justifying their demand for long tenure of service from students said subsidized medical education given to them by the state was the main reasons for expecting returns in the form of professional service to it, by them.

Dr Sharma said that the counselling process was also disrupted due to litigation. "I think one last mop-up round should be held to fill as many seats as possible," he told HT.

An HT report, earlier, had mentioned 100 seats fall out after the third counselling session, as candidates had allegedly blocked them by opting for admission during counselling and not showing up for admissions later.

"Students who blocked seats in government colleges caused great damage to others who deserved these seats. Seat blocking forced them to take admission in private colleges, whose fee are 10-15 higher than the government college fees," revealed a student, preferring to remain anonymous.