Maharashtra’s CET Cell is investigating 18 postgraduate medical students who cancelled their admissions at a private college. The cancellations occurred at Dr. NY Tasgaonkar Institute of Medical Science in Karjat. These students were admitted through management and NRI quotas during the final admission round.
The Maharashtra Common Entrance Test (CET) Cell requested an inquiry from the state’s Directorate of Medical Education and Research (DMER). The college informed the CET Cell about the cancellations on Thursday. The students withdrew their admissions over a month after enrolling.
Probe into Mass Cancellations
The reason for the mass withdrawal remains unclear. It is also unconfirmed whether the students faced penalties for cancelling their seats. Admission rules typically include penalties for seat lapses.
An official from the CET Cell stated, “We have asked DMER to enquire about the admission process and the cancellation of admission of these candidates.” The official report from DMER is pending.
Unofficial information suggests no penalty was collected because the seats were not considered lapsed. The CET Cell awaits the inquiry report for confirmation. Colleges are responsible for collecting and depositing fines for seat lapses into their accounts.
College Seeks Special Admission Round
Following the cancellations, the medical college petitioned the Bombay High Court. The court allowed a special institute-level round to fill the 18 vacant seats. This round was scheduled for Friday and Saturday.
This marks a departure from the state’s centralized admission process. The Bombay High Court has previously allowed colleges to conduct their own admission rounds for vacant seats. This has occurred for undergraduate admissions in recent years, despite opposition from the National Medical Commission (NMC).
Concerns Over Seat Blocking
Medical counselors suspect these cancellations are a tactic to manipulate the admission process. They believe seats might be reserved for specific candidates. This practice could lead to backdoor admissions and a rise in the “cash-for-seat” trend.
Past institute-level admissions have faced allegations of excessive fee demands and denied admissions. Activists criticize the lack of transparency in these college-managed admissions.
The dean of NYTIMS, Vinayak Sabnis, did not respond to requests for comment at the time of reporting. His response will be added if received.