Chennai: Quota Seats student face mess at MBBS counselling

CHENNAI: Counselling for MBBS and BDS admissions, which began at the Government Multi Super-Speciality Hospital in the Omandurar Estate on Sunday, was marked by confusion and arguments.

The special category quota covering sportspersons, students with disabilities and wards of ex-servicemen, had 63 attend counselling of the registered 101 candidates

Day 1 attendance incorporating 38 MBBS seats in government medical colleges and two BDS were all filled up. 14 candidates opted out and eight were wait-listed.

Despite an increase from 3 to 7 in the sports quota MBBS seats by the government, a sportsperson, who couldn’t get admission complained that justice was not being done to them, people from the field of sports. This she said was happening because the percentage increase in seats was not sufficient.

K Priya, a basketball player from Coimbatore, couldn’t get a seat as because of a greater number scoring well

.”My sports achievement mark last year was 490, and this year 360. It has dropped because I couldn’t participate in a national tournament in Punjab because the NEET-UG was scheduled for the same day. So, this year too I lost MBBS seat”.

“The government should increase the percentage of seats allotted under the sports quota. It has now increased it from 0.09 per cent to 0.25 per cent, but in Kerala, it is 0.58 per cent and even in Puducherry it is 1 per cent,” Priya’s father told TNIE.

Meanwhile, confusion marked the disabled candidate's list for names that appeared in the rank list did not figure in the short list prepared by the selection committee. After loud arguments, the candidates were sent for evaluation.

Doctors present certified that candidates who came were in the category of above 50% disabled and were allowed to attend counselling sessions. A few though were sent back on grounds of ineligibility.

The disabled who secured seats were who secured seats after evaluation, were Vinoth Kumar from Thanjavur and R Dhanalakshmi from Chennai. Counselling for the general category began on July 2 at 9 am on the same venue.

There was confusion when the students with disabilities, whose names had figured on the rank list, were not found on the shortlist. After arguments, the candidates were sent for evaluation. After doctors certified that the candidates are above 50 per cent disabled, they were allowed for the counselling. A few others were sent back as they were not eligible.