Anantapur: Irregularities are on the rise in medical admissions in private as well as government colleges in Andhra Pradesh, thanks to agents offering seats for a price.
The situation is similar to that of Madhya Pradesh and Haryana, wherein, despite getting good ranks in entrance examinations, many students have claimed they have failed to secure an MBBS seat due to the admissions racket even in government colleges.
A Right to Information reply had revealed irregularities in all 10 state and private medical colleges affiliated to NTR University of Health Sciences few days ago. Seats reserved for local students were given to outsiders who paid commissions. Nearly 100 admissions were done fraudulently, with seats allegedly being sold for between Rs 80 lakh and Rs 1 crore, said sources.
Political pressure in medical college committees has also been blamed. A senior doctor from Anantapur observed that in Karnataka, there was at least minimum quality as maths and spiritual institutions ran private colleges. “Though they too are collecting hefty donations, candidates get quality education,” he said.
Several meritorious students have recalled their bad experiences after losing seats at the time of counselling.
“I went for counselling. Just as it started, the process was stopped for an hour. We were told there was some technical issue with the system. Before counselling there were a lot of seats vacant in the college. After some time, when the session started, we were told that all seats had been filled,” a girl who had applied to a government medical college said.
In government colleges, seats are often blocked and not shown in second counselling. Many of these seats are sold.
RTI activist Marri Ramana, who has taken up the cause, said the rot runs deeper and has demanded a CBI probe into the irregularities.
“Children with money and recommendations are getting seats but bright students are being left out,” said Geyanand, Member of Legislative Council from Rayalaseema, adding that it had become a business, tampering with the system. He stressed on the need to tighten the rules during counselling at all levels.
