Maharashtra:High Court moved by three other Deemed Universities

Mumbai:The ruckus over the state government’s decision that deemed universities conduct centralised admissions has reached a new peak. Four of the eight deemed universities have moved the Bombay High Court. All the four, run medical and dental colleges in the state. It is believed, the others in all likelihood- will follow.

The CET cell has declared postponement of the declaration of the provisional merit list, (that was to be announced on Saturday) to August 30. With the present court intervention, the centralised admission process to be held at deemed universities, would depend upon the current petition’s outcome. The present situation has sent waves of discontent among medical aspirants in the state.

Krishna Institute of Medical Sciences—Karad , DY Patil- Kohlapur and Pune, have challenged the order. The Pravara Institute of Medical Sciences had earlier in the week, moved the Aurangabad bench of the High Court. Following the court's intervention, the state's CET cell has postponed declaration of the provisional merit list (that was to be announced on Saturday) till August 30. The centralised admission process in deemed institutes will be conducted, subject to the petition outcome, much to the disappointment of medical aspirants.

According to sources, the state’s 1,675 seats have 20,000 aspirants competing. Most of the state’s institute have initiated their processes; many are resentful of the government announcement on Sunday last.

A Union Health Ministry directive of August 9, had resulted in the state government releasing a government report on August 21. The Ministry in the report asked the state government to conduct combined counselling for admission to MBBS/BDS courses in all medical/dental colleges, including deemed universities.

Following the GR, a government notice announced 85% of deemed university admissions to be centralised. 15 % according to the government notice could be conducted by the institutes themselves, for both the NRI quota and the PIO’s.

"Since the state claimed their decision was based on a letter issued by the Union Ministry of Health, the Central Government and Medical Council of India (MCI) are also made party to the petition," said a trustee of one institute. The hearing is now scheduled on August 29.

Director, Directorate of Medical Education and Research, Pravin Shingare, who is responsible for conducting centralised admissions said, "The court has asked us to postpone declaration of the provisional merit list up to August 30. In a meeting on Friday, some deemed institutes gave us their details for the counselling process. The institutes are willing to participate in the process if the outcome of the petition is in the government's favour."

Parents and students are tense and believe that they are looking into an uncertain admission scenario. They are already victims of delays due to the last minute NEET implementation.

P Cherian, a parent, said, "Most deemed universities are in places like Navi Mumbai, Pune, Kolhapur and Karad, which are well connected and have better infrastructure than some private colleges. Students who can afford the fees would rather go to deemed institutes than private ones. The delay is eating into their academic session," he added. They were of the opinion that centralised processes would save both time and expense of travelling to ten different locales.