Delay in PG admissions worries medical students

Sarbjit Dhaliwal

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, April 24

Students wanting to pursue PG courses in medical colleges across the state are a worried lot. The reason: Delay in the admission process. This, despite the fact that the state Medical Education Department has decided to file an appeal against the Punjab and Haryana High Court’s single bench decision pertaining to quashing of domicile-based quota for admission to these courses.

The HC earlier this month had also quashed the 9 per cent micro-reservation against sports and other quota seats.

A top official of the Directorate of Research and Medical Education (DRME) said the state government had been informed about the HC decision and a recommendation had been made to file an appeal against the judgment.

Meanwhile, parents of such students said, “The delay in PG counselling for admission to MD/MS courses in the state is having a disturbing effect on 1,000 MBBS doctors in the state. Delay in counselling for the state quota seats has put students at a disadvantage as they will be forced to take less preferred seats through the all-India counselling outside the state.”

A group of parents said, “Those on the borderline are in a dilemma — should they opt for paid seats in private colleges in other states or wait for the counselling here, or start preparing for the next year exam. A long wait may rob them of their chance to get a paid seat.”

The PG counselling to be held by Baba Farid University of Health Sciences for 150 state quota seats on March 28 was put off due to a stay by the High Court. The HC delivered the judgment on April 13, quashing the domicile quota etc. In spite of expeditious disposal of cases by the HC in the second week of April, the state government has not taken any steps to start the admission process.

A group of students said, “We are feeling helpless and upset over the attitude of the state government and Baba Farid University which are showing no concern about the future of young doctors.” No counselling date or revised notification had been issued by the university even 10 days after the judgment, they said.