Hundreds of students awaiting MBBS admissions this year in the 20-odd private medical colleges in the State were in for a shock when the Kerala University of Health Sciences (KUHS) suspended the affiliation of half-dozen colleges on the eve of the trial allotment.
Desperation and panic among the students and parents was the immediate result of the university move. Soon after suspending the affiliation, the Commissioner for Entrance Examinations (CEE) has knocked five medical colleges out of the trial allotment process, giving jitters to hundreds of medical aspirants. The KUHS decision against Azeezia Institute of Medical Science and Research, Kollam; Kannur Medical College, Kannur; Dr. Somervell Memorial CSI Medical College, Karakonam; SUT Academy of Medical Sciences, Vattappara; and Government Medical College, Ernakulam, has confused the aspirants who were already disappointed by the Medical Council of India decision not to permit the 2018 MBBS batches in nine colleges in the State.
MCI restrictions
The colleges currently facing the MCI wrath are Government Medical College, Palakkad; SR Medical College and Research Centre, Varkala; Kerala Medical College, Palakkad; P.K. Das Institute of Medical Sciences, Palakkad; Mount Zion Medical College, Pathanamthitta; Al Azhar Medical College, Thodupuzha; and DM WIMS, Wayanad; KMCT Medical College, Kozhikode (50 of 150 seats); and Dr. Somervell CSI Medical College, Karakonam (50 of 150 seats).
Although the students had been given an option of 16 private medical colleges by the CEE, only 12 of them appeared in the trial allotment published in the early hours of Thursday. The CEE said in a statement that four more colleges “might be added” for the first allotment on Saturday. Giving fresh hopes to the students, senior officials at the KUHS said that most medical colleges currently not in the list would get sanction for admission by the time of the second allotment. KUHS governing council is expected to take a decision on the issue of affiliation soon. KUHS Vice Chancellor M.K.C. Nair told The Hindu that the interests of the students would be protected even while ensuring that the medical colleges abide by the norms and standards.
“We can’t allow any management to violate the norms. We need to do our best to ensure that the colleges stick to the standards,” said Dr. Nair.
Pressure on Centre
Pressure is being mounted on the Centre for permitting admissions in the unlisted colleges. Government sources indicated that colleges such as Government Medical College, Palakkad; KMCT Medical College, Kozhikode; P.K. Das Institute of Medical Sciences, Palakkad; Mount Zion Medical College, Pathanamthitta; Al Azhar Medical College, Thodupuzha; DM WIMS, Wayanad; and Dr. Somervell Medical College, Karakonam; are most likely to be given permission to conduct admissions this year.