PG NEET aspirants wary of seat blockers and 'seats sale' scams
The seat-blockers opt for seats during the centralised counselling process but relinquish the seat at the last moment.

Published: 06th May 2018 04:52 AM 
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Agents offering 'incentives' to PG medical seat aspirants for blocking seats

By Sadaf Aman
Express News Service

HYDERABAD: Ahead of the second round of counseling for Post Graduate NEET seats is scheduled, aspirants fear that their chances of getting any good seats will be marred by the clandestine attempts to manipulate PG medical seat allotments.

The practice, in common parlance termed as seat-blocking, prevents deserving candidates from gaining admission to good colleges. The seat-blockers opt for seats during the centralised counselling process but relinquish the seat at the last moment.

With the first round of counselling for management quota seats over on May 2, and the second round happening on May 8, aspirants suspect, candidates with high ranks from other states in collusion with agents, block seats under management quota in private medical colleges and post the second round leave them. Often, the seat blocking is a part of undercover financial deals.

As per the rulebook, since there are only two rounds of counselling in the management quota, the seats that are not taken the post the second round of counselling get converted into NRI quota. These seats can be sold to any candidate at a price decided by the private college managements which often runs into crores.

Junior doctors also alleged the role of the private institution in such scams, which eventually stand to make big bucks from the conversion of seats. "In the absence of a mop-up round, all seats that not taken are converted into NRI quota and deserving candidates lose out on seats that they otherwise would have got. On each NRI seat private colleges make three times the money on each seat they otherwise make under management quota," explained Dr K Srinivas, member, Telangana Junior Doctors Joint Action Committee.

A candidate, who wished to remain anonymous said, "Such cartels between agents, students and private colleges not only take a toll on the genuine claims for seats of their choice, in worst cases, force some aspirants have to wait for another year to score a seat."

Another aspirant said that while some seats genuinely are left vacant, the agents and colleges plan it in a way that it is not very visible. "Why would an 8,000 or 9,000 ranker want to take a seat in lower grade college and in not so popular stream when they can get better? Students can often make out which seat are not going taken by genuine candidates but we don't have proof," said the aspirant.

As per rules, a total of 50 per-cent of seats are earmarked for all India quota and the remaining for the State quota.

‘Delhi student blocking seat in TS, AP’

Meanwhile, Dr K. Mahesh Kumar, president, Healthcare Reforms Doctors Associations (HRDA) told Express that a PG aspirant from Delhi who has secured 9,098 rank has been found to be blocking seats in both AP and Telangana. While he submitted his certificates for verification to Dr. NTR University of Health Sciences by 30 April, he also participated in first round counselling by KNRUHS.

"When his name did not feature in the list of candidates who did not report to NTRUHS, it was confirmed. The same person can not submit original certificates at both places. Either college authorities colluded with him or he fooled the universities with fake certificates. In either case, a formal complaint will be sent to KNRUHS and MCI," said Dr Kumar.

If found guilty, as per the MCI rules, the candidates would be barred from counselling for three years and may also be booked for criminal cases amounting to cheating.