Around 300 students of a private medical college in Maduravoyal conducted a road roko in Velappanchavadi on Wednesday.
The students, in the pre-final and final years of MBBS at ACS Medical College, demanded recognition for their course.
A unit of Dr. MGR Educational and Research Institute, the college is not recognised by the Medical Council of India (MCI) and the ministry of human resources to conduct courses or admit students.
As per a directive from the Ministry in 2010, the medical college does not fall under the scope of the MGR Institute, unlike other colleges run by it.
On Tuesday, the students approached the commissioner of police for permission to stage a demonstration. They were directed to the police station in Velappanchavadi.
On Wednesday, they blocked the road, disrupting vehicular traffic. Students from the 2008 and 2009 batches participated in the road blockade.
The protesters said they appeared for exams every year as they were assured the problem of course recognition would be sorted. But with the Ministry disallowing affiliation, the college did not admit new students from 2010.
“There are 150 students in the first batch and 138 are eligible to sit for the final exams. There are another 150 in the second batch. As our college is not recognised, all our efforts have proved futile,” a student said.
Each student in the college has paid around Rs. 4.5 lakh per year for the course. Students said they refused to pay fees in the third and final years after the MCI failed to validate the course offered by the college. Though the management allowed them to continue their education, the students said their future was bleak.
An official of the college said efforts were on to ensure an inspection by MCI. He blamed the delay in getting recognition on the elections and subsequent changes at the government level. According to him, though an order had been issued in their favour, the MCI had opted to contest the order.
