Medical, dental adms under scanner
Committees to probe into irregularities in admissions at private medical and dental
colleges across Maharashtra
By Vikas Vaidya
Acting on numerous complaints about malpractices in admission process by private medical colleges and rampant use of moneybags, the Maharashtra Government has constituted three high-level committees to probe into the irregularities in admissions in private medical colleges across the State. The committee members are expected to probe all documents, record statements of aggrieved parents and students and authorities.
This unusual step has been taken by the Medical Education Department after Pravesh Niyantran Samiti formally appraised the Government about seriousness of complaints received by it about brazen violation of norms by private medical colleges, mostly controlled by political big-wigs. Those in know of things openly quoted astronomical rates for medical admission and promised a confirmed admission. Some intermediaries also collected advance from interested aspirants.
According to Shikshan Shulka Samiti, the Association of Managements of Unaided Private Medical and Dental Colleges conducted entrance test titled Asso-CET 2012. There were wide-spread allegation about violation of norms,
suppression of information about vacant seats, admission to less meritorious candidates, violation of time-table laid down by Pravesh Niyantran Samiti, non-observance of reservation and open use of money and donation. In fact, the complaints had alleged well before the CET, the agents collected the money and assured confirm admission. ‘The Hitavada’ had exposed the modus operandi in 2011 when same irregularities took place. President of Association Kamal Kishor Kadam had promised to conduct CET in a very transparent way and on association level loopholes were plugged. But it was alleged that at individual level, association could not monitor the irregularities, if any.
It was alleged that vacant seats were filled illegally. CET was held in a centralised manner, leading to wide-spread discontent among aspirants and doubt about its fairness.The Samiti, in its meeting of November 8, 2012, had decided to constitute committees under the Chairmanship of Deans of Government Medical Colleges and Dental colleges. The issue of constituting committee was under consideration of State Government.
Accordingly to make an enquiry of the complaints received, three committees
have been constituted for Konkan-
Pune, Aurangabad-Nashik and Nagpur-Amravati region.
In all the three committees Deans of Government Medical Colleges were made Chairman with a representative of Pravesh Niyantran Samiti and a representative authorised by Vice-Chancellor of Maharashtra University of Health Sciences (MUHS), Nashik as members.
The work assigned to these committees include hearing of all the complaints regarding admissions done in private medical and dental colleges in state for the year 2012-13 and draw the conclusion, to check whether due publicity of the vacant seats after the second round was made or not, whether the candidates were given enough time to apply to secure admission, whether the timetable designed by Pravesh Niyantran Samiti was followed or not, whether all seats were filled on merit basis, while filling up the seats, whether all the rules of reservation were applied or not.
MUHS has appointed the Chairman as Dr Gajanan Ekbote for Konkan and Pune, Dr V D Wangikar, Director-Professor, Department of Community Ophthalmology and Public Health, Aurangabad and Dr Vinay Hazarey, Dean, Government Dental College and Hospital, Nagpur and Dr Rajaram Powar, Dean, Government Medical College and Hospital for Amravati and Nagpur. The committee formed under the Chairmanship of Dr Vinay Hazarey, Dean, Government Dental College and Hospital and Dr Rajaram Powar, Dean, Government Medical College and Hospital for Amravati-Nagpur region has already submitted the report.
When contacted, Dr Hazarey refused to divulge contents of his report.
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