Vijayawada: Candidates from AP who qualified in the Neet-UG for MBBS and dental courses were puzzled to find the names of 27 government medical colleges nationwide missing from the list of Medical Counselling Committee (MCC). These students wanted to apply for the 15 per cent All India Quota (AIQ) that was opened up for students of TS and AP from the current academic year. Students who tried to call the toll free number mentioned in the website of MCC found that none of them was working. Apart from the 275 seats listed in the AIQ for AP students in various categories, an additional 22 were made available in the second phase of counselling.
The eligible candidates can mark their choice of college under web options till Tuesday for the first round of counselling. Out of the 222 government medical colleges identified for AIQ seats, the MCC website shows 195. The list has a total of 222 medical colleges under different categories. While the government medical colleges at Nellore, Visakhapatnam, Kakinada, Vijayawada, Guntur, Kurnool, Kadapa, Srikakulam and Tirupati find a place in the AIQ, the MCC website does not mention the Anantapur Government Medical College and the Rajiv Gandhi Institute of Medical Sciences (Rims), Ongole. No reason has been given for dropping these colleges.
Out of the 12 government medical colleges in AP, 275 seats have been identified for the national pool. The MCC did not mention the six government medical colleges in Telangana in the AIQ list. Aspirants in AP started approaching officials of the Dr NTR University of Health Sciences and the Directorate of Medical Education (DME) for guidance. DME officials said they were helpless as Neet and the MCC are national subjects.
Director, medical education, AP, Dr N. Subba Rao told this newspaper that they had represented the issue with the MCC office in New Delhi. “We spoke to the MCC officials today (June 18), and they said due to some technical reasons the Ongole and Anantapur government medical colleges were not listed under the All India Quota,” Dr Subba Rao said. These two colleges would not get a place in the first round of counselling. “We will ensure they are listed in the second round.” Health university registrar Dr S. Appala Naidu told this newspaper that varsity officials had informed the MCC, located in the office of the director general, health services, on Monday.
“Some password issue is there and both the colleges couldn’t upload their vacancy positions in the AIQ list,” Dr Naidu said. He said the MCC had assured that the colleges would be included in the second round counselling that will start on or after July 3. When asked about the loss to Neet rankers, Dr Naidu said this issue had been brought to their notice. Finding fault with both the agencies, APCC Doctors Cell co-chairman Dr Ambati Naga Radhakrishna demanded action against erring officials. as several aspirants had lost their first choice, despite having the ranks.
