Plea against deemed varsities in Puducherry

They are refusing seats to meritorious students: petitioner

Alleging that deemed universities in Puducherry are refusing to accept students admitted through common counselling in the State quota, and are demanding fees to the tune of ₹40 to ₹50 lakh as against ₹5.5 lakh fixed by the statutory fee committee for self financing colleges, an advocate has moved the Madras High Court.

As institutions like deemed universities fall under the Union Ministry of Human Resource Development, the court impleaded the Secretary of the Ministry and the UGC as party to the PIL.

According to advocate V.B.R. Menon, common counselling to the PG medical courses has been completed and seats have been allotted to eligible candidates by the Centac.

Since the fee fixation committee of Puducherry has fixed fee payable for the courses in self financing colleges and not for colleges falling under the deemed universities, the Centac has collected the fee payable for self financing colleges from candidates allotted to institutions of deemed universities also.

But to the shock of the students, the deemed universities refused admission in their institutions and have asked the students to pay exorbitant amount, as fee payable to deemed university colleges has not been fixed by the committee.

“The deemed university managements are attempting to circumvent the settled law through devious claims and to sell the seats to less meritorious students through private auction,” Mr. Menon said.

Relying on an Apex Court judgement, the petitioner contended that once fees are paid by the students with the counselling committee, there after the colleges concerned cannot refuse admission to such students.

Seeking court’s immediate interference in the issue, the petitioner also wanted the Bench to pass interim order directing the colleges to provisionally admit the students pending disposal of the plea.

Four colleges – Arupadai Veedu Medical College, Vinayaka Missions Medical College, Mahatma Gandhi Medical College, and Lakshmi Narayana Institute of Medical Science – were also impleaded as party respondents to the plea.

Considering the urgency of the issue, The Bench permitted the petitioner to serve notice to the four institutions thorough any acceptable mode, and posted the PIL for further hearing on June 13.