Panel to approve surrendered medical, engineering seats

The move is to curb increasing cases of seat-blocking: Minister

Minister for Medical Education Sharanprakash Patil on Wednesday said the government planned to set up a committee to approve seats being surrendered to the managements of private engineering and medical colleges in the State.

The minister said there was an increase in the number of seat-blocking cases done with mala fide intentions. “Seats blocked and then surrendered in large numbers will come under the purview of the proposed committee, which will approve whether the seats surrendered to the managements are genuine cases. If not, action will be contemplated,” he said.

Speaking to reporters, he said the decision to set up a joint committee by the Medical Education Department and the Higher Education Department was taken after a discussion with Higher Education Minister R V Deshpande.

“We are also looking at ensuring that the seats surrendered under a certain category is given to a student from the same category and not to anyone else,” the minister said.

On the recent COMEDK raids, he said the Central Crime Branch (CCB) was already probing the case and a detailed report would be submitted to him. On the previous case of impersonation in the COMEDK examinations, which has been handed over to the CID, he said, even that report was awaited. It has been eight months since the previous case was handed over to the CID.

He said the COMEDK had given an assurance that it would fully co-operate with the CCB in the recent case of impersonation, wherein 35 people had been arrested.

In regard to the postgraduation seats and deemed universities, Patil said the government would get only 25 per cent of the enhanced seats from these universities. “And this, only from the deemed universities with whom the government has signed an MoU. These universities are Manipal and NITTE,” he said.

The government is in talks with several other deemed universities, but almost all of them have stated in writing that they cannot part with the seats. One of the universities, which has declined to share 25 per cent of the enhanced seats, is Siddartha University run by G Parameshwara, president of the Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee.

 It is said that Parameshwara has justified his stance in writing by stating that the Medical Council of India had not enhanced the number of seats in his university.
“With regard to Yenopoya University, they have given in writing that it is a minority university and it is not obliged to part with the enhanced seats also. I am seeking legal opinion on this matter,” Patil said.