Puducherry: DGHS asks deemed universities to admit students denied PG admission last year

Puducherry: A directive to 4 deemed universities in the union territory by the Director General of Health Sciences (DGHS), New Delhi, and Director (Health and Family Welfare Services),has been issued asking them to admit a section of the students who weren’t given admission to postgraduate medical courses in the last academic year (2017-18) despite having been allotted seats by the Centralized admission committee (CENTAC).

The Union and Puducherry governments, in turn, had sought adjustment of these students by the deemed universities for the ensuing academic year 2018-19. This was to be done against vacancies that would arise after the mop-up counselling conducted by the DGHS.

The list of vacant postgraduate seats in the four deemed universities has already been released by the DGHS.

Compliance with the Madras High Court's order has been sought by the Assistant Director-General in order to avoid legal tussles.

Puducherry Director, Health and Family Welfare Services, K V Raman in a written communication to the deemed universities furnished the list of vacant seats in their institutions, prior to the mop-up counselling and directed them to admit students against these vacant seats.

He also gave an instruction that the universities collect only a sum of Rs. 10 lakh the interim fee, in accordance with the Madras high court order, which has been upheld by the Supreme Court. Raman cautioned the deemed universities of the likelihood of the Puducherry government, initiating action against them, in the face of existing orders both by the Supreme Court and the High Court.

He further reminded them of possibilities of contempt if they flouted the court orders. He also told the universities to furnish students details regarding admissions done for this academic year to the Directorate of Health and Family Welfare Services.

Meanwhile, V B R Menon, student Counsel told TOI that the Madras high court in April this year had asked the deemed universities to allot seats to 28 students subject to availability for this year, in their respective colleges. They are to offer these seats in the same departments that had been offered to the students last year, reports TOI.

Though only 14 of the 28 seats offered to them remained vacant after mop-up counselling, the university demand of Rs 48 lakh as annual fees as against the Rs 10 lakh fixed by the Madras high court saw the students lose their seats.

Menon however, claimed that he would move contempt proceedings if the universities failed to admit the deserving students.