Seat pact invalid, no govt quota, say pvt colleges

The Karnataka Professional Colleges Foundation (KPCF) has ruled out government quota in private medical and dental colleges for 2016-17.

This contradicts the Centre’s stand on the National Eligibility-cum-Entrance Test  (NEET) before the Supreme Court on Friday. 

KPCF is a conglomeration of professional medical, dental and engineering colleges, which were earlier under ComedK (Consortium of Medical, Engineering and Dental Colleges of Karnataka).

Addressing reporters in Bengaluru on Friday, KPCF members said all the seats would be announced only through NEET, and the agreement with the Karnataka government is no more valid. This would mean that the 40% seat reservation for students to avail seats under the Karnataka Common Entrance Test quota (that exists in private colleges) will be cancelled.
 
“In view of the Supreme Court judgment, admissions to undergraduate courses in MBBS and BDS for 2016-17 shall be made on the basis of merit from eligible students (candidates who have scored 50% more marks in NEET),” Dr M B Jayaram, KPCF secretary, told DH.

Going by KPCF, the state government will lose 1,200 seats in private medical and dental colleges.

As per the agreement, 40% of the total seats in 12 medical and 24 dental colleges were government seats. There are 1,500 medical and as many dental seats in private colleges.

Jayaram’s statement is in contradiction to Attorney General Mukul Rohatgi’s line of argument in the Supreme Court. Rohatgi, appearing for the Centre, said the ordinance was promulgated to accommodate states like Tamil Nadu, Maharashtra, Goa, Gujarat and Andhra Pradesh. Some states have already held entrance examinations to admit students in government medical colleges and fill the quota of government seats in private medical colleges.

In keeping with the apex court guidelines, Jayaram said 15% seats in private colleges would be set aside for Non-Resident Indian (NRI) candidates. Of the renaming 85% seats, 42% would be for SC, ST and OBC students. The remaining can be availed by the general merit category. “First preference would be given to SC and then ST. If it is not filled, it would be given to OBC students. The remaining seats would be given to the general category,” he said.

The fee for NEET seats would be decided by the Fee Fixation Committee, headed by Justice Gururajan.

Agreement invalid?
Private colleges have already entered into a consensual agreement with the state government to set aside 40% of their seats to be filled by those who clear CET. However, KPCF said the agreement is invalid. The state government said this would amount to legal offence.

Dr Sharan Prakash Patil, Minister for Medical Education, said the state government would consult the Law Department to decide the next course of action. “They have already signed an agreement for seat sharing. There is also an act in place for this. The concession in fee was an outcome of the agreement. Now, we have to see the implications of the Union government ordinance,” Patil said.