The continuing delay in conducting this year’s single-window counselling for MBBS/BDS admissions is likely to adversely impact hundreds of meritorious engineering college aspirants. Every year the counselling for medical admissions is conducted ahead of the Tamil Nadu Engineering Admission (TNEA) counselling as the number of MBBS/BDS seats are far fewer than B.E./B. Tech seats. This ensures that candidates, who qualify for both medical and engineering admissions, are able to make an informed choice as those denied a MBBS seat can opt for a B.E. course.
With the medical admissions stalled, TNEA general counselling will go on as scheduled, beginning on July 23. In all probability candidates qualifying for both professional courses might end up “blocking” BE seats in premier institutions and eventually vacate them once they make it to medical colleges, as and when counselling is held for them.
1,000 lapsed seats?
Higher Education Minister K.P. Anbagalan anticipates that around 1,000 BE seats in the premier Anna University might end up “lapsing” due to possible migration of students who are allotted these seats. As per procedure, a student allotted a MBBS seat but desirous of joining B.E. must surrender the medical seat. Such migration could be witnessed in agricultural courses too. After the first round of counselling conducted by the Tamil Nadu Agriculture University this year, 210 students dropped out of affiliated colleges. “The students were confident of getting medical seats with their scores. Most of the dropouts were from self-financing colleges. We will be taking stock of the situation on Monday,” TNAU Dean of Admission S. Mahimairaja said.
The situation may not be different at the Tamil Nadu Veterinary and Animal Sciences University (TANUVAS) where counselling would begin on July 19.
Two years ago, almost all the first year students of the university had moved to medical colleges after completing a year of veterinary studies.
However, S. Balasubramanian, Controller of Examination at TANUVAS, was hopeful that the experience would not repeat.
“We have received over 23,000 applications for 320 seats. If you see the seats versus application ratio there is no possibility of our seats going vacant. We will have around 6,000 eligible candidates. Seats that are not filled up in the first round would be filled in the subsequent counselling session,” he said.
Experts feel the government is playing a see-saw game with the emotions of students.
“The idea of 85% reservation for State Board students in MBBS/BDS will not stand the test of time. This created the delay and unreasonable expectation among students. But this has been happening so many times that the public has been misled. Let us wait and see,” said M. Anandakrishnan, former Vice-Chancellor of Anna University.
School Teachers Federation of India’s state executive committee member S.N. Janardhanan contended, “The government should now make a political move. We have two days before Presidential election. The government could get the President’s assent for the two Bills.”
