KOCHI: The private medical college managements in the state are keeping their fingers crossed even as the Supreme Court has transferred the medical admission case back to the High Court. Heads of 10 managements are meeting through video conferencing on Tuesday to take stock of the situation arising out of the Supreme Court order. They have already expressed their willingness to sign an agreement with the state government on differential fee structure including Rs 25,000 fees for BPL students but want the government to give them the right to conduct spot admissions.
They say that the Supreme Court had allowed them to conduct spot admission from among the students in a list prepared as per NEET ranking and will have 10 times the number of vacancies in each college. The list is to be prepared by the Commissioner of Entrance Examinations. “The apex court also said it should be in the order of merit,” said Anilkumar V., secretary of the Kerala Private Medical College Managements Association who represents the Malabar Medical College which is one among the colleges willing to sign the agreement with the government. “We will sign the agreement if this order is adhered to.”
However, the Commissioner of Entrance Examination and the state government do not seem to be buying the argument of the managements and are insisting that the CEE will conduct the spot allotment. There are apprehensions that the private managements would tactfully make selection from the list as per their convenience by stating that certain students were not present during the spot allotment, which they alleged to have done last year. The moves of three medical colleges -- KMCT, Sree Narayana and SUT Medical College which approached the Supreme Court -- will now hinge on the High Court verdict. It is to be seen whether the High Court will stick to its earlier stand of ratifying the '5 lakh fee for 85 per cent seats and also will ratify any agreement between the state government and 10 private medical colleges.
