PG medical counselling dates to follow court's decision on 50% seat matrix

Puducherry: With the decision of 50% private medical college seats being shared with the government still lying in waiting, the Puducherry government now awaits the Madras High Court order, before announcing the counselling dates for PG medical and dental courses.

Puducherry Parents UT All Centac Students Parents’ Association cited the reason for the delay in counselling to be the existing disagreement between private medical institutions in the seat-sharing matrix with the government.

V. Narayanasamy, Association, President alleged that the institutions were unhappy with the Fee Committee’s fee structure announcement.

A Department of Health Official, preferring anonymity, revealed that last year a case had been filed by the Pondicherry Institute of Medical Sciences (PIMS) and the Manakula Vinayagar Medical College and a stay order got on 50% reservation of seats for government quota.

“The case is coming up for hearing on Tuesday. Only based on the court's order can the Centralised Admission Committee (Centac) announce the dates,” added the official.

The stay order is believed to have directed that 50% government quota in private medical institutions was not allowed, added a representative of a private medical institution in Puducherry.

“How will the Centac announce the date for counselling without obeying the stay order. On the other hand, though the fee structure announced by the Fee Committee this year is slightly higher when compared to last year, the private medical institutes will be unable to meet their expenses. We will have to wait for the court order and the future course of action will be decided based on that,” the representative told the Hindu.

Meanwhile, the Centac Coordinator, Rudra Goud announced that the counselling was likely to take place this week. “Seat sharing will be decided by the Health Department,” he said. The delay in the announcement, he clarified, was not due to this.

“We are verifying the documents and the date will soon be announced,” he added.

K.V. Raman, Director, Department of Health and Family Welfare Services contradicting all previous statements professed there to be no stay order on seat sharing, though a case, in this regard was pending before the court, he added.