ABVP, SFI disrupt medical counselling in Telangana

Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad activists stalled the counselling process at the JNTU Hyderabad counselling centre protesting against the increased fee structure.

July 29, 2015 02:58 pm | Updated April 03, 2016 05:24 am IST - HYDERABAD / WARANGAL:

Warangal:Telangana: 29/07/2015:Members of Students Federation of India staging a demonstration at the medical counselling at Kakatiya University campus demanding reduction in fee in warangal on wednesday.Photo:M.Murali - Warangal:Telangana: 29/07/2015:Members of Students Federation of India staging a demonstration at the medical counselling at Kakatiya University campus demanding reduction in fee in warangal on wednesday.Photo:M.Murali

Warangal:Telangana: 29/07/2015:Members of Students Federation of India staging a demonstration at the medical counselling at Kakatiya University campus demanding reduction in fee in warangal on wednesday.Photo:M.Murali - Warangal:Telangana: 29/07/2015:Members of Students Federation of India staging a demonstration at the medical counselling at Kakatiya University campus demanding reduction in fee in warangal on wednesday.Photo:M.Murali

Counselling for admissions in to the Government and private medical colleges in Telangana began two hours behind schedule on Wednesday as the Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP) activists stalled the process at the JNTU Hyderabad counselling centre protesting against the increased fee structure and alleged loss of seats for BC, SC and ST categories.

Similar protests were held at another counselling centre in the city at the Osmania University campus. The process was to begin at 8.30 a.m. but ABVP activists closed the gates and didn’t allow the candidates to enter the counselling hall. There was no presence of the police despite the ABVP openly announcing that it would disrupt the counselling.

“We were denied entry and spent more than an hour outside the university gate,” said Sukumar, a worried father. There were scores of others who had to face similar problems but neither the officials nor the police was present. One of the parents claimed that police came after nearly two hours when he called up the local police station and picked up the agitating students clearing the way.

The disruption came in the wake of Government increasing the fee in the “B” category seats. The fee for “B” category seats that were to be filled based on the ranks obtained in the entrance test was Rs. 2.40 lakh per annum earlier but now it has been hiked to Rs. 9 lakh per annum.

Moreover, the managements got the freedom to fill the seats as per their own entrance test marks. Students have been fighting against this for some time now.

Students’ bodies also argue that the Scheduled Caste, Scheduled Tribes and Backward Class students will lose 525 medical seats apart from 525 seats in the open category as the private colleges are now allowed to fill up 50 per cent seats without following rule of reservation.

Counselling will be held for nine days in three centres in Telangana - JNTUH Counselling Centre, Kukatpally; PGRR Distance Education Counselling Centre, OU Campus and Kakatiya University Counselling Centre, Warangal apart from Dr. NTR University of Health Sciences, Vijayawada. Candidates can attend at any of these centres.

The Government has also made it clear that the admitted students irrespective of studying in Government or Private colleges have to compulsorily serve one year in the rural areas.

At Warangal

The counselling for admission into MBBS course in Telangana began on Wednesday at Kakatiya University Directorate of Admissions centre in Warangal. Chennuri Saiteja Reddy, who secured fifth rank and Gattu Maithili Charan who got 17th rank in EAMCET medical stream opted for OU Medical College, Hyderabad.

About 60 students attended the admission counselling at the centre. Kaloji Narayana Rao Health University Registrar Venkateshwarlu, KU Admissions Director S.N. Chary, assistant coordinator E. Suresh supervised the process.

Meanwhile, members of the Students Federation of India (SFI) thronged the venue and tried to disrupt the counselling programme alleging that private colleges were given free hand to squeeze the students.

Scores of the students were taken into custody by the police. The SFI district president Ch. Srikanth, secretary Ch. Ravi Kumar and others said GO 66 helped students get fee reimbursed from the government in the past. Now in Telangana, the government issued several government orders allowing the private colleges free hand to collect huge sums from students.

The state government permitted the private colleges to collect Rs. 13 lakh in B category, Rs. 9 lakh in C category and Rs. 13 lakh in C2 category as per GO 39. The fee only deterred the poor and genuine students from accessing the medical courses in the State. The State Government should withdraw all orders and introduce free education for all students, they said.

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