PG medical admissions in Maharashtra: 820 seats up for grabs in Round 2

280 seats were the ones surrendered after All India Quota admissions

Directorate of Medical Education and Research (DMER) has finally released the second merit list for post-graduate (PG) admissions.

Of the 820 seats, 280 are the ones surrendered following All India Quota (AIQ) admissions, 150 are newly approved seats and 180 seats are the ones surrendered after the first round of allotment. (HT FILE)

Out of 820 seats that are up for grabs, 280 are the ones surrendered following All India Quota (AIQ) admissions, 150 are newly-approved seats and 180 seats are the ones surrendered after the first round of seat allotment.

“By the time the second list was released, the intake capacity in PG government and private medical institutes stood at 1,550. Hence, we could spare more seats for the second round,” said Dr Pravin Shingare, director, DMER.

He added since the first round was redone after private institutes increased the fees of management quota seats, 180 students withdrew admissions following which their seats were re-allotted in the second round.

The second round was stalled for almost three weeks owing to a number of reasons.

For starters, private institutes in Maharashtra demanded the right to increase fees for 35% seats under management quota. This was followed by a petition in the Supreme Court by students who were demanding an additional round of common admission before the vacant seats were passed on to the states.

“With the admissions schedule back on track, our focus is to fill all vacant seats and commence the academic year at the earliest. Once we finish the mop up round after the second seat allotment list, vacant seats at private institutes will be handed over to the respective institutes while another round will be conducted for vacant seats in government institutes,” said Shingare.

Based on a recent decision of lowering eligibility criteria
by the Central government,
the state has reopened the registration process for interested candidates .

“New applicants can claim seats in the third round,” Shingare added.

What has happened with PG medical admissions in state?

*FRA had sent out a notice to all private medical and dental institutes in the state, asking them to stick to common fees for all their seats, including those under the management and NRI quotas. The institutes had threatened to boycott admissions season if they were not allowed to charge three times and five times the regular fees for management and NRI quotas. After a series of meetings, the FRA had decided to allow private institutesto continue charging three and five times the regular fees for both the quotas for the year 2018-19.

*Three weeks ago, the institutes demanded that they be allowed to charge five times the regular fees for all their quota seats (50% of the total seats), or exempt them from admissions altogether.

*The first seat allotment list was released by the state CET cell, which allotted students to all seats including those in private medical institute. Students were denied admission by the institute.

*The students who were refused admissions have been asked participate in the second round of admissions. They are also required to submit an affidavit to state common entrance test (CET) cell, declaring that they were refused admissions.

*With the hope that the impasse between colleges and government authorities will be broken before the next round ends, state Directorate of MedicalEducation & Research (DMER) had given an ultimatum to colleges to either participate in CAP or keep their seats vacant through the year.

*After a final discussion between the state medical education department and representatives of the private medical institutes, it was decided that institutes be allowed to charge up to four times and five times the regular fees for seats under the management and NRI quotas

*State CET Cell released a circular in the last week of April making it clear that based on the same preferences originally filled by candidates, the original seat allotment list will be re-released and those students unhappy with their seats can cancel their admission and become eligible for the second seat allotment round. Those happy with their seats can retain their original seats.