Karnataka : PG medical aspirants to get common counselling

Bengaluru: The State government has decided to conduct common counselling for all NEET PG aspirants to all medical colleges, except deemed universities. The NEET PG exam is to be held between December 5 and 13; and the counselling is to follow in the second half of January in 2017.

Earlier this year, MBBS students faced turmoil and expense in the absence of common counselling, which resulted in applications being submitted at multiple counselling centers and expenses being entailed.

According to Sachidanand S, Medical Education, Director, a decision to conduct common counselling had been taken by the state government keeping the National Eligibility-cum-Entrance Test (NEET) scores in mind. The NEET PG is to be the single entrance test for all PG students.

“The process will make it smooth for aspirants who are vying for MD, MS and PG diploma courses,” he said. However, the logistics and modalities still need to be thought over.

Meanwhile, deemed universities in Karnataka will also be directed to hold common counselling, according to state sources.

This comes following the mass confusion faced with UG NEET with Undergraduate students questioning the purpose behind multiple counselling, in the face of NEET.

“Besides signing up for counselling conducted by the Karnataka Examinations Authority for government and government-quota seats, students also had to sign up with COMEDK for seats in private colleges, different private minority college managements association, and close to a dozen deemed universities. What was the point of a single NEET then?” parent of an aspirant had pointed out.

Deemed universities had also been asked to fall in line with common counselling by the state government last month; however, they expressed inability, stating that it was a bit too late for them to join in with the counselling procedure . State government is already taking measures so that such experience is not repeated in case of PG examinations.