UP: 70 percent govt institutes off NEET SS counselling seat matrix

LUCKNOW: A majority of government run medical institutions did not figure in the seat matrix for super specialty counselling, which is on these days. Names like Sanjay Gandhi Post Graduate Institute of Medical Sciences(SGPGIMS), Lady Hardinge Medical College and GB Pant Hospital did not find a place in seat matrix displayed on Medical Counselling Committees (MCC) website.

SGPGIMS’s Dean, Prof Rajan Saxena’s statement to the media revealed that 70% of the government medical institutions were not part of the seat matrix released.

The issue relates to approximately 2000 seats covering a span of 44 super speciality seats. The absence of these prominent government medical institutions from the seat matrix list has inconvenienced many an aspirant wanting to join SS courses. The inconvenience caused to doctors compelled the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare to come out with an explanatory note late Wednesday evening.

Statements blaming SGPGI for the delay in submission of documentation being the reason for its name not being there in the SS seat matrix, had the institution come up with a counter reply.

Replying to the allegation that SGPGI did not keep up with the deadline (4 pm on August 14, 2017) to be able to participate in the counselling process, the institute put forth a list of 24 documents to show that the college had provided the required information almost two hours before the deadline.

"The paperwork was in place. There was no delay from our end," Executive Registrar, SGPGI, Prof Shaleen Kumar told TOI.

Prof Saxena added, "SGPGI has fully complied well within time with all the communication received from the office of Director-General of Health Services. But there was no reply from them. Later when the matrix appeared, our name was not there. We believe, that in all probability there is some technical snag at the level of the MCC."

Authorities, however, assured the medical college that its name would appear in the second counselling round and requested the students to maintain composure.

The MCC in an earlier defence had also maintained through a public notice, "it is essential to mention MCC/DGHS has been sending several reminders and issued advertisement in two national daily leading newspapers on August 04, 2017 regarding the contribution of super speciality seats since last one month."