HC okays COMED-K seat matrix

The High Court on Monday allowed the Consortium of Medical Engineering and Dental Colleges-Karnataka (COMED-K) to go ahead with the seat matrix agreed to on April 8, 2011, for admission to post-graduate courses in medical and dental sciences, with a rider.

Hearing a fresh petition by the COMED-K challenging the Government direction on seat-sharing, the Division Bench comprising Justices Manjula Chellur and S N Satyanarayana permitted the consortium to proceed with counselling based on the decision taken on April 8, subject to the outcome of the writ petition.

The Bench, directing the State government and the COMED-K to submit details of the discussion between them for the past two years, observed: “The confusion regarding seat-sharing being as old as four years, there was never an agreement between the two in connection with the seat matrix.”

At this point, Rajiv Gandhi University of Health Sciences (RGUHS) and the COMED-K urged the High Court to put an end to the confusion.

The COMED-K had on April 8 this year fixed the seat matrix opposing the one decided by the Government.

Though the counselling began on April 17, it resulted in overlapping and allotment of excess students to some colleges. In some cases, there was no allocation of seats to a few colleges.

However, the COMED-K and the Health department together filed a memo stating that counselling would go on with the fixed seat matrix.

The COMED- K, which had moved the High Court over the agreement with the Health department on seat-sharing on April 15, 2011, said the confusion would be resolved through fresh counselling.

But when the Government fixed the seat matrix on Sunday, the COMED-K filed a fresh petition challenging it. The matter has been adjourned.

Counselling postponed

Counselling for PG medical seats at the COMED-K was postponed from Monday to Tuesday, as a result of delay in counselling at the RGUHS.

While the RGUHS had scheduled counselling for May 28 and 29, the proceedings were delayed after students protested the changes in the seat matrix.

The process kicked off finally at the RGUHS on Monday, but as per the consensual agreement signed between the private colleges and the State government, counselling can commence at COMED-K only after the RGUHS counselling has been completed.

However, counselling for dental seats at the COMED-K was held on Monday. Some parents and students protested against the seat matrix that was issued by the COMED-K, alleging that nearly eight dental seats were not added to the seat matrix.

Medical Education Minister S Ramdas met the representatives of students and parents and assured them that he would try to ensure one more round of counselling and inclusion of the additional seats.

Peaceful

Counselling at the RGUHS was held peacefully on Monday after clarifications were issued on the seat matrix.

Minister Ramdas clarified that the confusion was due to in-service candidates claiming reservation under Category-I.

“This had led to confusion on the seat matrix. Finally, only one extra seat was allotted to in-service candidates compared to the counselling held in April,” he said. He said this round also had 63 additional seats compared to the earlier seat matrix.