Students of the erstwhile DD Medical College will appeal to Chief Minister Jayalalithaa to allow them to continue their education instead of starting afresh from the next academic year.
On Monday, the Madras High Court directed the State government and the Medical Council of India to admit the students of the 2011-12 and 2012-13 batches to government medical colleges as fresh candidates in the academic year 2014-15.
The students are upset, as this would mean their losing several years academically. Of the 103 students in R. Kirubakaran’s class (2011-12 batch), 64 have cleared the first-year examinations.
“Had our education continued, even the 39 candidates who had arrears would have written the exams six months later. The university could conduct exams for these students and admit them based on their results. The rest of us could continue from where we left off,” he said.
His mother Valarmathi said, “I don’t mind if he has to start all over again. I want him to become a doctor.”
It will be a while before petitioner Reshmi Ilangovan and her friend T. Abirami (2012-13 batch) realise their dream.
“I got a package deal at a deemed university but I chose a college affiliated to the government university. We paid hefty sums as capitation fees,” said Reshmi.
What upsets her father, Dev Ilangovan is that neither the college management nor the university officials ever indicated that the college’s temporary affiliation could be withdrawn.
When the students could not download hall tickets and the university expressed helplessness, they begin to fear for their future, he said.
Health department sources, however, said that the decision would have to be made by MCI.
In a press release, the Doctors Forum for People’s Health welcomed the judgment and urged the Central and State governments and MCI to exercise caution while permitting private medical colleges in future.
