Chennai: The PG state counselling on Sunday saw students agitating at Omandurar Medical College on their being denied the chance to sit for state counselling after having got through in the All India Quota. As many as 22 students have filed petitions demanding to be allowed for state counselling despite the allotment of seats in all India counselling.
Students are protesting as they can get seats in Tamil Nadu itself, as against the seat offers they received from other states after all India counselling. The students allege that the state government does not follow a systematic schedule for PG counselling.
As many as 1,344 candidates were called for counselling on Saturday, which has 775 all India quota students, allowing only 569 students for the state counselling. Of 500 students who attended the state counselling, 414 were allotted seats in government colleges and 29 in self-financed college, while 57 remain in the waitlist.
The first round of all India counselling should be followed by first round of state counselling and then second round of all India counselling, with second round of state counselling last. “The state fails to follow the order properly. In this case, students who get diploma course seats in Tamil Nadu during all India counselling, can get degree course seats during state counselling as per their rank. Being natives of Tamil Nadu, we should be given the priority to appear for state counselling and seek seats within the state itself,” says student Dr Arvind Santhosh.
The students demand that the state government should give preference to the Tamil Nadu students, allowing them to attend state counselling. “Due to the prolonged issue over allotment of seats and courses, classes have not yet commenced in the medical colleges of the city. However, other states have started the academic session. Students need support of the authorities as the state students are unable to afford the course in other states,” said Dr G R Rabindranath, secretary, Doctors Association of Social Equality.
When contacted, senior officials of health department said that the state is complying with the orders of the apex court and the regulations cannot be violated seeking any exemption only for the state students.
