Medical management quota : Go online: Govt

• Pvt colleges to go on SC decision
• MCI positive on increase of seats?

State government on Monday made it clear that admissions for the next academic year in private engineering colleges under management quota shall be made online only. "Last year itself, the Medical Council of India has sent us clear guidelines and a letter seeking details of admissions. We sent the reply to government as well as MCI stating that admissions under owner quota (category B) will be made online as per the High Court directive. So it stands and we will go accordingly" Dr Vishnu Prasad, Director of Medical Education made it clear at a media meet in Hyderabad on Wednesday. When his attention was drawn to reports that some of the colleges have 'assured' seats to some students for a whopping amount of Rs 40 � 80 lakhs per seat, he clarified that the entire process will be made transparent. But doubts have cropped over his statement as the apex court has still been hearing arguments on a public interest litigation which deals with a whole gamut of issues involving NEET, allowing private colleges conducting their own exam, fixation of fee structure in private colleges etc. Even on Wednesday the arguments continued before a three-judge bench and will take place today as well. The MCI and the Union Government have made their arguments and they have to file their replies, according to sources. "When the matter is pending in the court and the bench yet to give a ruling, how can the government talk on our quota?" G Bhaskara Rao, President of Private Medical College Managements Association has asked. "There is no clarity over NEET. Nothing has been finalized on our petition of holding our own test. So, it is premature to talk over admissions," he added. The issue is of all India nature and not confined to AP, he averred. Meanwhile, Vishnu Prasad has indicated that the MCI appeared rather positive with our requests on increasing of medical seats in government colleges. "We are confident of getting 550 additional seats this year. For Osmania, the inspections were already over and we are sure to get 50 seats more taking the total in OMC to 250. In Gandhi too, fifty seats will add up taking the total to 200. The newly-built Nizamabad college will also get 100 seats. We have been working over time to construct all infrastructure at Nellore. MCI has to inspect only two more medical colleges- Warangal and Kakinada which are likely to take place within ten days" he explained.