THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The entrance tests for admissions to professional courses will be held in April as scheduled, Education Minister M.A. Baby said here on Saturday.

The Minister was talking to the media after discussions with Chief Minister V.S. Achuthanandan and party colleagues on the course of action to be taken in view of the High Court order striking down key provisions of the professional colleges Act.

Mr. Baby said the Government did not propose to bring new legislation to replace the Act. However, the question of bringing an Ordinance to provide for reservation to the scheduled and backward communities would be considered. The Government would discuss the issue in the Left Democratic Front, and if necessary with the United Democratic Front, to arrive at a consensus. The Government had already decided to go in appeal before the Supreme Court against the High Court order. If the apex court gave an interim order on reservation, the Government would go by that.

He said the prospectus for the entrance test would be issued this month itself. However, the admission procedure would be announced separately at a later date in view of the confusion over the matter. Mr. Baby said that the Government was never averse to talks with the managements of self-financing professional colleges. It was the managements of private medical colleges who had withdrawn from talks.

He said that the court verdict did not prevent the regulatory and supervisory bodies specified in the Act from overseeing the admissions and fee structure.

Printer friendly page  
Send this article to Friends by E-Mail