THE Director General of Health Services has come down heavily on the Guru Gobind Singh Indraprastha University (GGSIPU),stating it should not have conducted a re-test for the candidates who failed in its Common Eligibility Test for postgraduate medical courses. Newsline had on June 2 reported the GGSIPUs decision to hold a re-test (on May 26) for the 96 postgraduate seats that fell vacant after only 24 of the 130 candidates who took the April 2 test passed. The respondent no 1 (Director General of Health Services) submits the respondent no 3 (GGSIPU) should not have conducted the second test on the ground of alleged high failure rate of students in the entrance test,as there are more meritorious students available in the All-India quota who had qualified in the admission test, says a May 31 affidavit filed by the DGHS before the Delhi High Court. The affidavit was submitted following a litigation initiated by a group of candidates from the All-India quota,with the plea that the 96 seats left vacant in the Delhi state quota be transferred to the All-India quota and the re-test results be scrapped. The matter is pending before the Delhi High Court. The Supreme Court had referred the matter back to the High Court on June 2. The litigants had approached it after the High Court put the matter for hearing on July 1,by when admissions to the PG medical courses in the GGSIPU would be over. The GGSIPU has 245 postgraduate medical seats,50 per cent (123) of which it reserves under the state quota and conducts a CET to fill up. The other half is filled up by candidates qualifying in the All-India medical entrance conducted by AIIMS on behalf of the DGHS. A group of candidates who failed to pass CET this year had approached the Delhi High Court earlier,alleging the test had not been conducted properly. The GGSIPU agreed to hold a re-test,but only for the vacant seats. Students protesting the move said if the first CET was not properly conducted,as the GGSIPU implicitly accepted by agreeing to a re-test,the results should have been scrapped completely. The DGHS affidavit,meanwhile,debunks the contention that the first test was not properly conducted. It cites the Common Entrance Test conducted by the AIIMS for postgraduate medical degrees and diploma on an all-India basis to further its argument. The respondent submits only 21 per cent students have qualified in the test conducted by AIIMS for the all-India quota and the remaining students have failed to qualify.. The respondent submits there is nothing unusual in qualifying the approximately 18.5 per cent (24 students out of 130) in the test conducted by the GGSIPU for postgraduate seats. The national average for passing in (exams for) postgraduate seats is in the same range, the affidavit adds. The DGHS affidavit supports the case of the candidates from the All-India quota. Since 96 seats remained vacant,after the test. the vacant seats should have been filled through the all-India quota on the basis of merit,as qualified candidates were available in the lists, it states. The DGHS also points out that the GGSIPU had not sought permission from it before conducting the re-test. The affidavit also states that since the Ram Manohar Lohia Hospital has no MBBS course,no reservation can be made for the postgraduate seats for RML under the state quota. Common Entrance Test issues * CET for state quota held on April 2 * Results declared on April 3. Only 24 of 130 candidates qualified from all categories. * Group of students who failed to make the cut approach the Delhi HC,alleging exam was not conducted properly. Court directs for re-test on April 28. * University conducts re-test on May 26,only for the vacant 96 seats. * Results of re-test declared on May 28. Only 79 students qualify. * On May 28,a group of candidates who took all-India test approach the HC,demanding that GGSIPU be restrained from declaring re-test results. The 96 vacant seats should be transferred to the All-India quota,they say. * Court refuses,and allows GGSIPU to go ahead with the counselling session to be held on May 29. * Matter next heard on May 31. Court allows university to go ahead with the admission process,provided it is subject to judgement of the petition. The matter to be heard on July 1. * Candidates from all-India quota approach Supreme Court,asking for a faster solution. * Supreme Court refers matter back to High Court on June 2. * DGHS files affidavit slamming re-test move on May 31
