Parents demand 85% quota for state students in medical, dental colleges

Until last year, while deemed institutes conducted their own admissions

Admissions to medical and dental institutes in the state might face more delay and miss the September 30 deadline given by the Supreme Court this April. While the petition in SC has been postponed by another day, the state has demanded that no special quota be kept aside for students from other than Maharashtra in state based private institutes.

Until last year, while deemed institutes conducted their own admissions, nine private institutes falling under state government rules followed 85% quota seats for state domicile. (HT PHOTO)

“We have sought that 85% seats be kept aside for students from our state and the remaining 15% can be divided between others,” said Dr Pravin Shingare, director, Directorate of Medical Education & Research (DMER).

Until last year, while deemed institutes conducted their own admissions, nine private institutes falling under state government rules followed 85% quota seats for state domicile.

Since 2004-05, all 14 private medical and dental institutes in the state admitted students based on class XII and scores from common entrance test which was conducted by the Association of Managements of Unaided Private Medical and Dental Colleges (AMUPMDC), Maharashtra. Following several cases of cheating and other complaints, nine institutes decided to join hands with DMER last year and follow the MH-CET exam.

Based on a provision of the Maharashtra private unaided professional educational institutions (regulation of admission and fees) Act, 2015, government institutes and these nine private institutes started following admission quotas that kept aside 85% seats for students with state domicile.

“These institutes are using resources of the state so it’s only right that 85% seats go to students from the state,” said Rajesh Jain, state member of the Parents’ Association for Medical Students (PAMS). “It makes sense to follow the same rule this year and for the next few years because our children are yet to catch up with the CBSE syllabus.”

He added that this rule can change only once the CBSE syllabus, on which the National Eligibility-cum-Entrance Test (NEET) is based, is applied in phases can the state government get rid of the domicile quota.

Parents of medical and dental aspirants in the state are not eagerly awaiting the verdict from Bombay high court which will hopefully bring clarity to admissions to private institutes in the state. “Most deemed institutes that have put up their merit lists have given away most of the seats to students who aren’t from Maharashtra. Our children have already missed out on government institute seats and deemed as well. The least we expect is that government fights for us to get full quota in private institutes,” said Shreedevi Poduval, a parent.