The Hindu : Another twist to medical admission issue

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Tuesday, Oct 28, 2003

Southern States

Southern States - Andhra Pradesh

Another twist to medical admission issue

By Our Special Correspondent

Hyderabad Oct. 27. The medical admission issue took yet another twist on Monday with the State Government withdrawing its petition filed before the Supreme Court for extended counselling for filling the irregularly filled seats.

The Medical and Health Minister, K. Sivaprasada Rao, announced the withdrawal at a press conference this evening but he did not spell out how the seats could be filled. Thus, there is uncertainty over the criteria for allotment of these seats.

Facing a volley of questions on this aspect, the Minister, however, said they might even approach a full bench of the Supreme Court. According to him, the apex court ordered withdrawal of the petition on the plea that the matter sought to be raised by Andhra Pradesh was a different issue— extended counselling for filling the irregularly filled seats as distinct from other States, including Uttaranchal, which sought counselling for filling the seats available due to establishment of new medical colleges.

Dr Sivaprasada Rao said the Supreme Court had also ordered that there was no need for issuing a separate judgment for Andhra Pradesh and that the State Government would be well within its powers to take suitable action to resolve the issue, including steps to punish erring medical colleges. It also could approach the High Court.

Dr Rao came out with latest information regarding irregularly filled seats, putting them at a total of 178 which included 69 MBBS seats and 109 dental seats. Of the MBBS seats, 55 were found to have been filled irregularly while 14 were unfilled. In the dental category, 48 were found irregularly filled and 61 left vacant. A startling revelation was that five candidates were allotted seats without even applications.

Out of the irregularly filled ones, 16 were in Siddartha Medical College, 13 in Narayana, seven in Rajahmundry and eight in Eluru. In all, eight out of 14 private medical colleges were involved in the irregularity, he said.

Asked if the students who obtained the seats paying huge sums to the managements would be given back the money, the Minister said it was not within the purview of the Government.

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