Post-SC order, medical aspirants in a spot as state unclear on quota

Deepkamal Kaur

Tribune News Service

Jalandhar, April 29

After the Supreme Court order that the admissions to the MBBS and BDS courses in colleges for the forthcoming session be made through the National Eligibility Entrance Test (NEET), students who are aspiring to gain entry through the minority quota are in a tizzy.

Confusion prevails on whether medical and dental colleges — including the CMC, Ludhiana, and Sri Guru Ramdas institutions, Amritsar, run by the SGPC — would be able to implement the minority quota at the time of admissions.

While the management of the Sri Guru Ramdas institutes says it will remain unaffected and has announced a qualifying examination too, the CMC authorities have said they were awaiting clarity on the matter from the directorate of medical education.

Dr AP Singh, additional secretary of Sri Guru Ramdas Charitable Hospital Trust, Amritsar, says, “I do not think that the yesterday’s SC judgment in any case affects our Sikh minority quota. We are going ahead with our Sikh history and religion test on May 20 at the SGRD campus.”

On its ongoing dispute regarding the Sikh minority quota admissions pending with the constitutional bench in the Supreme Court, he said, “The HC had quashed our quota on which we had moved the SC in 2008. Any verdict on it in the coming days may not have any impact on the admissions this year but in the next session.”

However, Dr William Bhatti, Medical Superintendent, Christian Medical College Ludhiana, said, “We are still in doubt over admissions on the basis of minority quota. We have sought clarity on the matter from the Director, Medical Education and Research.”

Dr Raj Bahadur, Vice Chancellor, Baba Farid University of Health Sciences, Faridkot, too was not clear on the quota issue. However, he said the common test was in the interest of students who otherwise had to appear in multiple tests.

“We had made the preparations by registering the applicants, getting the question papers ready and making arrangements at examination centres. But it does not really matter. We have decided to refund the Rs 5000 examination fee to the applicants shortly. Now, we will start preparing for counselling to the state colleges as per the given schedule on the basis of state merit in NEET,” he said.

Daljit Singh Cheema, state Education Minister, said the Secretary or the Director of Medical Education would be clearer about the minority quota issue. However, Medical Education and Research Secretary Hussan Lal, too, had doubts.