Will asks Centre to give 50% med seats to state: DKS

Medical Education Minister D K Shivakumar on Wednesday said he will request the Union government’s Directorate General of Health Service (DGHS) to give prominence to state students in medical seat allotments. The minister chaired the meeting with representatives of deemed medical institutions of the state and said they are intended to develop health tourism in Karnataka.

Shivakumar told reporters after the meeting, “The medical colleges here have been supported by the Karnataka government, but the Union government later fills the seats by counselling. There is no agreement between the DGHS and the state in the seat-sharing process. With this, there is a huge injustice to state students. Of the 1,630 seats, students from the state get hardly 53 seats. This will lead to the doctor shortage in Karnataka in the future. We are demanding at least 50% seats to state students.”

With the development of health tourism, the government hoped to make health care affordable for the poor in the state. Representatives of medical institutions are also said to have agreed to support the government’s move.

“I am aware of the court’s order on this issue, but still our government intends to help students belonging to our state. With seat filling process done by DGHS, most of the
students are from out of the state.

They are given the best education by our state colleges, but their service is not available for our state,” he added.