KARNATAKA

Colleges differ on common counselling for NEET PG

After the chaos surrounding the undergraduate National Eligibility cum Entrance Test (NEET), with students having to apply for several colleges and universities owing to lack of common counselling, postgraduate medical and dental seat aspirants could face a similar situation.

The Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, earlier this month, sent a circular to principal secretaries of medical education of all States asking them to hold combined counselling through the designated authority for admission to PG medical and dental courses. Medical and dental college managements differ on common counselling. The State government convened a meeting with the representatives of medical and dental college management associations on Wednesday.

While deemed universities are opposed to the idea, minority medical colleges are willing to participate in the common counselling if the State government agrees for a over 100 per cent hike in fees.

“Following common counselling will take away the autonomy of deemed universities and all deemed universities fall under the University Grants Commission ... we have so far not received any instructions from them except stating that all admissions will be made using NEET scores,” a representative of one of the deemed universities in the State said.

Medical Education Minister Sharanprakash Patil told The Hindu that it was only a preliminary meeting called by the State government to push for common counselling for the benefit of students. He added that no concrete decision was taken at the meeting. “College managements too told us it was too early to comment on the issue,” he said. NEET MDS and NEET PG were held in November and December and the results are expected on January 15.

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