Karnataka: COMEDK issue update

Karnataka: The supposedly-first-round of discussion over the matter of the reserved state government quota seats through COMEDK in private medical colleges in the state has not yielded any result. Reportedly, Medical Education Minister Dr Sharan Prakash Patil and Higher Education Minister T B Jayachandra had called for a meeting with private college managements which come under Consortium of Medical, Engineering and Dental Colleges of Karnataka (COMEDK).

However, the ministers failed to cut ice with the private medical college managements, who is still adamant on the fact that they are following the SC directions, which does not confirm that they have to reserve seats under state government quota. Still, the state education ministers are ready to hold a second or even third round of talks on the matter.

The future of many medical aspirants is under stake with this recent decision of private medical colleges. It will lead to a situation of students in the state, to face two exams for seeking admissions in state and private medical colleges now. While admission in government medical colleges will be through COMEDK, the private medical colleges will grant admissions only through Neet.

Some options before the state government at present are:

• Increase fee structure- the recent news report suggests that the state government has given its nod for a 10 per cent fee hike. This decision is based on a single premise of balancing out the financial burden on medical colleges, after MCI had issued them a directive to pay Rs 30,000 per month as stipend to PG students


• Approach SC or Centre for more clarity after NEET ordinance- this can be considered in lieu of the fact that the reservation under the state government stands at forty per cent which will be filled through CET as per the recent Neet ordinance. These are strictly for the domestic students of the state. In total, 700 medical seats fall under this quota


• Take a legal recourse- since the unilateral decision on the matter has been taken by the association without the consent of the state government, it can take a legal route to follow the perceived Centre’s ordinance

“We told the ministers that we are going by the Supreme Court direction and that there was no question of giving seats to government,” said a management representative to Express newspaper. This means 1,400 medical and dental seats will not be available anymore. These seats used to be filled up by Karnataka students based on the CET rank list. The minister said, “We tried our best to convince the representatives of private colleges. But they say they are following the Supreme Court judgment. We are ready for two more rounds of talks.”

Some positive facts:

• Out of the 85% seats through Neet (which does not include the NRI quota), half the seats are for the SC/ST and OBC category of students. It will be easier for students under this category to get admissions in around 1,500 medical and 1,600 dental seats offered in the private colleges


• The Chief Minister Siddaramaiah has recently announced that medical seats in government-run medical colleges will be increased from the present 100 seats to 150. Medical colleges in Mandya, Hassan, Shivamogga, Belagavi, Raichur and Bidar will be a part of this initiative.