Confusion reined at the special counselling session held by the Consortium of Medical, Engineering and Dental Colleges of Karnataka (COMEDK) on Friday. Only students who had come equipped with demand drafts (DDs) were allowed to attend. The parents of students who were deprived the opportunity alleged that the last-minute decision by the authorities to conduct counselling had affected their children’s future.
Students said that they were informed about the sessions only on Thursday and were unable to get demand drafts as Friday was a bank holiday. “Although I had applied for an online DD, I was not allowed in for counselling. This has proved to be extremely costly for my daughter. She has got a dental seat and was eligible to obtain a medical seat, but was still denied the chance,” said one parent.
Another parent alleged that the seat matrix was not uploaded on the website. Several candidates also took to social media to complain about the issue, but the consortium refused to budge from its stance.
Friday’s counselling was for two colleges that only recently received permission from the MCI to conduct classes. Various counselling agencies had to race against time as the last date to complete medical admissions is September 30.
Sachidananda S., Medical Education Director, said that he received calls from some candidates on Friday complaining about the issue. “But we had to ask COMEDK to stick to the rules, and candidates who had demand drafts were able to pick seats,” he said.
The Karnataka Examinations Authority, however, relaxed the criterion and said if candidates had picked seats under CET they could pay in cash and not by demand draft.
