PUDUCHERRY: As admissions to MBBS courses are set to begin, the AIADMK and Congress reiterated their demand for bringing 50% of seats in private medical colleges and deemed universities under the government quota.
This comes as the government's Centralised Admission Committee (CENTAC) on Monday invited online applications from aspirants who cleared NEET for MBBS admissions. The last date for applications was September 25.
Senior Congress leader and Lok Sabha member V Vaithilingam and AIADMK State Secretary (East) A Anbazhagan on Monday urged the ruling NDA government in Puducherry to take necessary steps for the quota. "The UT should allot 225 out of 450 seats in private medical colleges under the government quota," Vaithilingam told the media at a press conference.
Last year, only 170 seats were obtained from UT's three private medical colleges and this trend will continue. Meanwhile, Puducherry students are apprehensive whether they will bag seats at medical colleges despite clearing the NEET exam.
According to Vaithilingam, the ruling BJP government had issued an order providing an opportunity to get 50% of seats in these institutes by fixing their fees on a par with government medical colleges of the respective States."The private medical colleges in Puducherry filed a case in the High Court against the Centre's order, restraining Puducherry from filling these seats. The UT government should approach the court and vacate the stay. Only then, it can be said that the Centre and BJP -AINRC government here are working together for Puducherry's welfare," he said adding otherwise it would be construed that Puducherry's BJP was indifferent and cheating students here.
Earlier Anbazhagan, too, urged the Puducherry government to moot a legislation on the issue, and fix fees in the private medical colleges on a par with government medical colleges. He said the Lt Governor -- administrator of the UT -- should ensure implementation of the Central government's order on fixing fees. Urging the government to implement a 7.5 % reservation for government school students in medical education, Anbazhagan pointed out, most MBBS seats go to students from private schools and only a minuscule of government school students were able to secure seats.
Civil society activists, Puducherry State Students And Parents Welfare Association and the Puducherry UT ALL Centac Student Parent Association also urged the NDA government to secure 50% of MBBS seats under government quota and fix the fees for these seats.