NEET: Students admitted to medical colleges at deemed universities on the edge

On August 30, the HC had stayed the Maharashtra government’s decision mandating centralised counselling for students who appeared for NEET this year for medical and dental courses and allowed deemed universities in Maharashtra holding their own counselling sessions for admissions.

The court made it clear that the deemed universities shall admit students strictly on basis of rankings in NEET. However, the SC later stayed the Bombay HC order and the matter is now listed for September 20.

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“Uncertainty continues to prevail despite students now availing of admissions at various medical and dental colleges under eight deemed universities in the state,” said Vivek Saoji, Dean of Bharati Vidyapeeth deemed university’s medical college.

When contacted Dr Pravin Shingare, director of Medical Education and Research, said the admissions to medical colleges at deemed universities would be cancelled if the SC ruled in our favour.

After HC order, DMER to complete admission to unaided private medical colleges Dr Shingare said admissions to the MBBS course in private unaided medical colleges would be completed as soon as possible following Monday’s order of the Bombay High Court, which declined to the interfere with the National Eligibility Entrance Test (NEET).

Read: NEET: Bombay High Court declines to interfere with state domicile rules

Monday’s HC order came on a petition that challenged the Maharashtra government’s new domicile rules providing reservation of seats in unaided private medical colleges for local students. The petitioners had sought exemption for private medical colleges saying they wanted to go ahead with the admissions on the basis of the NEET. But the state government insisted on strict compliance of new domicile rules discarding NEET ranks, Dr Shingare pointed out.

Read: NEET: All deemed universities to admit students through NEET score only, says UGC

According to Dr Shingare, the state government told the HC bench of Chief Justice Manjula Chellur and Justice MS Sonak that the new rules were formulated to protect the interests of the local students. The state government also pointed out that there were nine states with similar domicile policies. “We will now complete the admissions to the colleges soon,” Dr Shingare said.

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