Counselling Error: PG Medical Admissions Cancelled after two extra admissions done

Ahmedabad: A software error that resulted in two extra admissions in the Radiology Branch of BJ Medical College against the number of seats available, has led to the cancellation of all admissions to post graduate medical courses, in the second round of counselling across Gujarat.

This decision was announced on Wednesday, by the Admissions Committee for Professional Post-Graduate Medical Courses(ACPPGMC). The students will be called for a fresh counselling session between May 20-22 for a fresh second round of counselling for admissions, at the GMERS Medical College in Gandhinagar between 9:30 am to 2 pm.

The authorities have taken this decision to avoid the blame game and possible court cases that may ensue, if the cancellations were not ordered. The main reason for the cancellation lies in the fact that there is no mechanism to tally the admissions done, against the number of seats. However, lakhs of rupees had been spent on the software.

J P Gupta, Health Commissioner, responding to the mess said, "We noticed an error in allocation of seats, the error is being rectified by the department. The process will be re-done after rectifying the error and to ensure that no students face injustice, " told TOI.

Justifying the cancellation of the entire second round of counselling Dr JG Buch, Member , Admission Committee for Professional Post-Graduate Medical Courses (ACPPGMC) told Ahmedabad Mirror, “There was a manual error in the calculation of seats because of which two seats were not allotted properly. The error could have cascaded down to the last seat and that is why we had to cancel all admissions under the second round."

The second round of admissions which began on Tuesday, with some 1,400 applicants, saw admissions for 574 seats take place. Approximately 49 fresh admissions were done, while 400 students opted for a change in branch.

Unfortunately, students received their admission cancellation messages after having reported to their joining institutes. The SMS received by them also mentioned that the new schedule for the next round of admissions would be announced by the end of the week.

Presently, Admissions done on May 16 and 17 during the second round of counselling for PG medical courses to state colleges satnd cancelled. In all 334 vacant seats- 206 in non-clinical branches and 128 in dental courses were supposed to be allotted during this process.

"Currently, we cannot provide figures of the total admissions that have been cancelled. All admissions done during the first round still remain valid,” the ACPPGMC further added.

The first round of counselling held between May 3-7 saw 1,003 medical and dental candidates admitted. Of these, 128 had applied for dental courses while 875 for medical.

According to the Admission Committee those candidates who took admission in the first round can also withdraw or cancel their admissions,if they so wish.

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