Admissions to around 250 seats in medical and dental colleges in the state have been ‘disapproved’ for the first time by the Pravesh Niyantran Samiti, a retired high court justice-headed body, created to deal with admission-related grievances.
The Samiti's decision, taken at a meeting on Friday, is based on the reports of three committees set up to probe complaints related to admissions, as well college responses to the Samiti’s show-cause notices.
“The names of the colleges will be put up on the Samiti website after minutes of the meeting have been signed,” said an official.
It is not clear what will happen to vacant seats, as half the academic year is already over. “The committee’s report has not yet come to me,” said DP Sawant, minister of state for medical education.
Aggrieved parents and students have been making a litany of complaints about admissions for several months – from allegations of demands for capitation fees, to inaccurate information from colleges, to cancellation of valid admissions.
“I can’t say we are relieved because the whole year has been wasted,” said the parent of an affected student.
A group of students also filed a writ petition in the high court in December against various irregularities in the medical admissions process across the state.