No medical PG degree for students from other states

As per the new notification issued to all the universities in the state on January 21,only those students are eligible for the postgraduate course who have passed their HSC examination in Gujarat or whose parents have been a domicile of the state for at least 10 years.

The notification was issued after the Kanubhai Kalsaria Committee stated in a letter addressed to the registrars of the medical colleges that the guidelines to the admission in the PG course was not properly stipulated till date.

In the PG course,over 50 per cent of the seats are reserved for the students from Gujarat,while admission to the remaining seats is done through the All India Post Graduate Medical Entrance Examination (AIPGMEE). Earlier,the students from outside were eligible for the PG course after clearing the Pre-Medical Test (PMT) for MBBS like the local students.

The move,which has put the fate of intern medical students from other states in the doldrums,has meanwhile reached the Gujarat High Court.

Over 150 students filed a petition as soon as they got hint of the brewing trouble. The court has passed an interim order allowing the students to fill up the forms and appear for the entrance exam. But the counselling of outside students has been put on stay till the final decision.

Interestingly,the students claimed they were notified of the new amendments only when the colleges started distributing forms for the PG course. “The admission forms were given at the Baroda Medical College on March 12 with a notice barring the outsiders to fill the same,” said Kalpana Jain,who is doing an internship at the college.

“No notification was given to us. We got to know when the outside students at the Government Medical College,Surat were barred from filling up the entrance exam form,” said Amit Agarwal,intern,B J Medical College,Ahmedabad.

The authorities on their part said the decision was taken after realising that outside PG students leave the state immediately after the completion of their course,without adding to the state’s medical fraternity. While the 50 per cent seats through centralised admission cannot be tampered with,the new rule aims to bring in more local students.

“But the decision should have been taken keeping the situation in mind. We have appeared for the AIPGMEE,which is tough to crack. While appearing in it,we were under the impression that we can get into the PG course through the college-based test,” said Ankit Agarwal,intern,Government Medical College,Surat.

“We had one hearing on Thursday and the next on Monday,but no decision has been taken yet. Even after being among the top 30 rankers in the college,we stand to lose a year’s education. If the court decision does not come in our favour,we will have to appear again through AIPGMEE next year,” said Agarwal.

When asked about the motive behind the sudden imposition of the new rule,Deputy Director of Health Dr P D Vithlani,refused to comment,saying,“The matter is pending in the high court and any decision will be taken according to the court’s order.”

As per the Medical Council of India (MCI) guidelines,the final counselling should be over by April 15 and the admission process should start on May 1.