Preference high for government medical college

Nearly 1,000 candidates attended the general counselling held for the admission of MBBS and BDS seats under the Government Quota on Thursday.

Ahead of the counselling, the Centralised Admission Committee had made elaborate arrangements at Pondicherry Engineering College, Pillaichavadi. Huge electronic display boards were put up for candidates and parents to keep them posted on the vacant position on a minute-by-minute basis.

The certificates and marksheets were thoroughly scrutinised by the staff of CENTAC before students were allowed into the counselling venue.

Inside the counselling hall, Education Secretary and CENTAC Chairman G. Ragesh Chandra along with convener Dr. Govindarajulu personally supervised the process. He verified the credentials of a candidate and parent before proceeding with the admission procedures.

The candidates were asked for their choice of college and a provisional allotment order was generated by the staff and the CENTAC Chairman signed the order which was given to the candidate.

Mr. Chandra told

The Hindu , “I am personally present here in order to ensure that everything goes well. We have not come across any fraudulent activity so far.”

Every candidate was asked to submit a sworn affidavit stating that the particular and certificates submitted were genuine.

The CENTAC has asked the candidates who were allotted seats to join the college on or before July 2. A second counselling schedule is planned for MBBS and BDS seats in the first week of July. The counselling for engineering courses will be held on July 15.

Most of the parents and their wards preferred to join government-run institutions while others had to enrol in private medical colleges.

S. Rajasekar, a parent who came for the counselling, said there is general aversion among the parents towards private medical colleges which collect Rs. 2.5 lakh to 10 lakh per year under the government quota seat but provide poor quality medical education and lack infrastructure facilities.

“The government hospital and colleges have more patients, teaching faculty and other facilities in comparison to any private institution. When there is no other option than the lone government medical college here, people are forced to opt for a private medical college.”

“It is disgusting to note that regional reservation is being followed here. We were born and brought up in Puducherry but were denied equal opportunity on a par with students of other regions. In Tamil Nadu, do they have regional reservation for each district? Here politicians are playing petty politics over the future of students,” alleged S. Ganesh, another parent.

Candidates told to submit sworn affidavit on genuineness of certificates