No relief for 99 medical students: SC dismisses reallocation plea from Fathima Institute of Medical Sciences

Vijaywada: The Supreme Court has dashed the hopes of 99 medical students of Fathima Institute of Medical Sciences(FIMS), by dismissing their reallocation plea on Friday. The petition filed by the Andhra Pradesh Government on behalf of the students was dismissed by the apex court after the central government and Medical Council of India (MCI) opposed the state government's proposal to relocate the 99, disallowed to sit for the examinations, after having secured admissions in 2015-16.

The AP government was ready to pay the price of relocation by losing 100 seats in the coming academic year, by getting the students admitted to 11 medical colleges of the state.

The Council, however, put its foot down on the government proposal by saying that the relocation would result in the meritorious losing their seats.

Parents and students of FIMS have together alleged that the Health Minister, Kamineni Srinivas Rao failed to take a proper decision leading to 99 lives being at stake today. The students have been seeking justice for the past three years.

Speaking to Express, a FIMS, student said, "At the time of counselling, the NTR University of Health Sciences has approved our admissions and later it is the same university which cancelled our admissions and dragged us on to the roads. The State government is wholly responsible for this mess. We will commit suicide in case we didn't get admissions. We lost three years."

Earlier, the Supreme Court had given a period of 2 weeks for submission of a relocation plan for FIMS students in the first week of September. The State government had replied with a proposal to relocate five students each in 20 medical colleges in the State. The MCI intervened to dismiss the state's proposal.

Speaking on the dismissal of the case, Minister Kamineni said, "The court dismissed the three proposals sent by the State government. I have consulted the Union Health Minister and MCI officials regarding the issue. We would repay the amount paid by the students to the FIMS. We will make sure that this kind of incidents will not happen in the future. I will visit Delhi on Monday and discuss the issue with the officials concerned. As of now, we cannot take action against the college management as it will affect 520 students' career and future."