Admission dilemma for Kerala students

Thiruvananthapuram: Many students are opting for other states as confusion continues to prevail over admissions to MBBS seats in 12 medical colleges in Kerala. Taking advantage of the situation many medical colleges in neighbouring states are offering attractive discounts. They have also roped in  agents to canvas.

Medical colleges which have not entered into an agreement with the State government are SUT, MES, Travancore, Kannur, Karuna, KMCT, Gokulam, Assisiya, Karakonam, Malabar, Sreenarayana and WIMS.

Talks between the government and the managements of the colleges failed, following which the Commissioner for Entrance Examinations (CEE) did not include these colleges in the first phase of allotment.

The absence of an agreement between the Government and management meant that 675 merit seats, including 95 seats for Below Poverty Line (BPL) students and 175 seats for Socially and Educationally Backward (SEBC) students, will be lost in the government quota.

However, four Christian medical colleges namely Amala Medical College, and Jubilee Mission Medical College, both in Thrissur, Malankara Orthodox Syrian Christian Medical College, Kolenchery and Pushpagiri Medical College and Dental College have reached an agreement with the Government for admissions.

However, Health minister V.S. Sivakumar informed the Assembly that the 12 medical colleges which did not reach an agreement with the government have no issues in providing 50 percent seats in merit quota.

The claim was refuted by Kerala Private Medical College Managements’ Association (KPMCMA) Secretary V. Anil Kumar. It is not possible for the management to pursue talks at this stage as almost seven colleges have already started admission process, Mr Kumar told this newspaper.

The issues began following the failure of these colleges to conduct entrance examinations for management quota seats before May 31 and publish the rank list before June 30, the deadline fixed by the Medical Council of India (MCI). The managements have approached the court for an extension of this deadline. There were also issues regarding the  fee structure.

Though the Government allowed Christian managements to charge  a uniform fee of Rs 4 lakh per annum for all seats, they wanted a differential fee structure for colleges under Kerala Private Medical College Managements’ Association management with Rs 1.65 lakh for merit quota and Rs 25,000 for BPL students and Rs 45,000 for SEBC students. However, the managements would be allowed to collect Rs 7 lakh as fee for management quota seats.

Last year, the government had entered into separate agreements with Christian Professional Managements’ Federation and the KPMCMA. The KPMCMA has approached the Admission Supervisory Committee headed by Justice J.M. James to allow a uniform fee on the lines of the Christian management colleges.

The Supreme Court had clearly stated that such entrance examinations should be completed by May 31. Justice James said that the committee would scrutinize the admission process to ensure transparency. If a transparent procedure was not followed in the admission process, colleges would be in deep trouble, Justice James said.