The effect of demonetisation is being felt in the field of medical and dental education too with very few takers for seats under the NRI and other quotas.
Experts in the education sector say demonetisation spelt the abrupt end of parents making cash payments to colleges.
According to officials in the Medical Education Department, 676 out of 773 medical seats under the NRI and other quota have been left vacant even after the mop-up round.
Experts also attributed this vacancy to Karnataka Examinations Authority (KEA) conducting common counselling for these seats using the National Eligibility-cum-Entrance Test (NEET). Prior to this year, all admissions for the 15% NRI quota and 5% other quota were done by the colleges.
Cost of seats high
Officials pointed out that the cost of seats in these quotas was high, and had been increased by more than 40% this year compared to the previous academic year. NRI and other quota seats cost between ₹22. 6 lakh and ₹41.9 lakh per annum, while private seats cost ₹6.32 lakh. On the other hand, government quota seats in private colleges cost ₹77,000, while government seats cost ₹16,700.
“During the mop-up round, the NRI seats were converted into other seats. Despite this, there were no takers,” an official said.
As per Supreme Court orders, the vacant seats should be handed over to their respective institutions with a list of unallotted candidates in the order of merit in the ratio of 10 candidates for one vacancy.
Sources said that college managements had intentionally fixed the seats at a higher rates so that there would be no takers and they could distribute the seats to candidates of their preference.