Medical and dental PG seats to be filled through KEA

There could be a 10% hike in fee in private and minority colleges

Post-graduate medical and dental seats in deemed, private and minority universities in the State will be filled through the Karnataka Examinations Authority (KEA). University representatives, who met officials on Thursday, agreed to the KEA conducting the counselling for over 2,000 seats in their colleges.

Sources also said there could be a 10% hike in fee for seats in private and minority colleges.

S. Kumar, Executive Secretary, Consortium of Medical, Engineering and Dental Colleges of Karnataka (COMEDK) and Secretary of the Consortium of Deemed Universities in Karnataka (CODEUNIK) said the decision was taken in view of the direction by the Centre and the Medical Council of India to have single-window counselling.

“We sat at the KEA and saw if the software they use can accommodate the huge number of seats that will be added this year. Until last year, the KEA was conducting counselling for around 700 seats. Now, this number will go up to nearly 3,000 with the addition of seats from COMEDK member colleges and minority colleges,” he said.

NEET ranking will be the only eligibility criteria to participate in the counselling, he added.

However, there is no word on whether the arrangement will apply to undergraduate medical and dental admissions as well. The results of the NEET 2017 PG exam, conducted between December 5 and 13, were announced on January 15.

“We will cross that bridge when it comes. For now, we will have to complete the PG admissions to start classes on May 1,” he said.

However, Medical Education Minister Sharanprakash R. Patil said a decision would be taken after another meeting on Friday.