Kerala:Pvt medical Colleges call applicants this week;challenging the state

Kochi: Kerala Private Medical College Management Association has declared an all out war with the state government, on matters related to medical admissions. It has taken a decision to call for applicants to all seats, including those of management and NRI quota, for counselling this week onwards. They also plan to challenge the government order to the State Commissioner of Entrance Examination, to start the counselling process for admission, to private medical colleges and deemed universities.

At a meeting held in Nedumbassery, the private college managements decided that until the government reversed its decision to carry out admissions to all seats through the NEET merit list, they would not be approached by any of the private medical colleges. The managements clarified their stand on being given the authority to conduct admissions for 50% of the seats They are also seeking a fee hike for management seats.

The vociferous reaction on the part of the private college managements, comes in the face of the government order stating that it would fill all seats, under all quotas, through the NEET merit list.

"Private college managements will move the High Court challenging government directive in a day or two," Association President, P. Krishnadas said on Sunday.

Expressing disapproval of the government's decision to take over the admission of all seats in private medical colleges he said, "We will conduct admission to all seats from the NEET list based on merit. Admission is the right of the management."

Out of the 22 private medical colleges in the state, four are under Christian managements. The government order, issued on Sunday night, also stated that admission to 50 per cent merit seats in these institutions would be based on the Kerala Entrance Examination 2016l; and admission to 35 per cent management quota and 15 per cent NRI quota from the NEET merit list.