Dental college in Solan district plans closure, students in lurch

Ambika Sharma

Tribune News Service

Solan, February 6

About 105 students of MN DAV Dental College, Tatul, near here are facing an uncertain future as the college is planning to close its operations.

This will affect the future of the second, third and fourth-year students. They are skeptical about the fate of the college because the authorities did not participate in the centralised counselling for the first-year admissions for the 2020-21 batch at Himachal Pradesh University (HPU) last year.

The Directorate of Health and Medical Education (DHME) had begun an exercise to adjust the students in three private dental colleges. Their managements had been sent letters by the directorate in December, seeking to know how many students could be admitted to various batches, said a senior functionary of a private dental college.

He added that the colleges could only admit students against a few vacant seats in each batch as the sanctioned strength couldn’t be exceeded. This information had been conveyed to the directorate.

Dr Ravi Sharma of the DHME said, “I am not aware if the dental college is closing its operations. An institute can’t be forced to admit a fresh batch, if it is not financially viable.”

Officiating principal Girish said, “The DAV management is considering to close it.”

Worried parents and students have, however, sent letters to the Health and Family Welfare Minister, the Secretary, Health, the Chief Secretary, Director, Health and Medical Education, DC, as well as the Vice-Chancellor of the HPU seeking intervention.

“Various authorities, including the Prime Minister’s Office, Dental Council of India and officials of the state government, have been informed about the condition of more than 100 students,” said a parent from Delhi whose daughter was a third-year student.

“I am a third-year student and it is the first year of our clinics and attaining practical learning. Any sudden change will hit our studies and mental health,” said a student.

Health and Family Welfare Minister Rajiv Saizal said, “The closure of the college is a matter of concern as many people have been employed here. The future of students can’t be jeopardised. I have directed the Secretary, Health, to look into it.”

Deputy Commissioner, Solan, KC Chaman, said there was something fishy about the way the college management had been behaving for the past few months and the college wore a deserted look. The information regarding the condition of the students would be sent to the government for timely action.”