The State government-run Institute of Mental Health and Neurosciences (IMHANS) in Kozhikode has denied admission to Tara M. Hari, who came first in the entrance exam for the M.Phil. Clinical Psychology course, reportedly because she passed her qualifying requirement, M.A. Psychology, from the Indira Gandhi National Open University (IGNOU).
“During the interview, the institute informed me that all my documents had been verified. I was also asked to procure an eligibility certificate from the Kerala University of Health Sciences [KUHS], as no other distance learning student had cleared the exam yet,” said Ms. Tara.
Ms. Tara said she was later informed that the KUHS officials had decided to deny her admission. “The rationale provided to me was that the KUHS did not want to set a precedent of accepting distance learning students even though I was a meritorious candidate,” she added.
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She said the restriction on distance learning students was not mentioned in the prospectus. “Neither was it brought up during the interview or at the allotment stage. When I approached IMHANS twice for admission, it was denied both times on the directive of the KUHS,” she added.
Ms. Tara, a graduate from the National Law Institute University, Bhopal, plans to move the Kerala High Court against the denial of admission.
When contacted, IMHANS Director P. Krishnakumar said the admission of the first rank holder had been kept on hold. “However, the KUHS has not taken a decision on distance learning qualifiers. If it gives the eligibility certificate, we shall proceed with her admission,” he said.
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