THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The admissions to first-year courses in self-financing dental and medical colleges in the state may become null and void even before the beginning of the admission process.The failure of the colleges to meet the deadline fixed by the Medical Council of India (MCI) to commence classes is cited as the reason for this peculiar situation. There is every chance for the admission process to run into trouble if any of the aspirant moves the court against the failure of the colleges in meeting the deadline.The deadline fixed by the MCI for commencing first-year MBBS classes was August 1. However, in the state, government has not yet started the admission process to 50 per cent government quota seats in self-financing medical colleges.Ironically, the state Health Minister is unaware of any such deadline.Adoor Prakash, who was in Delhi for attending a meeting, told Express that he had to refer the files before commenting on the issue. "I am unaware of any such deadline,'' he said. The first phase of allotment to medical courses was restricted to five government medical colleges in the state.The deadline is applicable for dental colleges also. As per the directive of the Dental Council of India (DCI), the classes for firstyear BDS should begin on August 1. The lapse in commencing classes within the deadline would even invite legal troubles.The deadlines were fixed by the MCI and the DCI on the basis of a Supreme Court directive. The directive was aimed to avoid inordinate delay in the admission process to MBBS and BDS courses. As per the schedule published by the MCI and DCI following the directive, the first round of counselling had to be completed in July. The deadline fixed by both the bodies for completion of admission process was September 30. The seats remaining vacant after the deadline would lapse.Though the Kerala Private Medical College Managements' Association (KPMCMA) had agreed to make admissions to 50 per cent seats with reduced fees in the 11 colleges affiliated to it, the formal agreement for the same could not be signed.One of the reasons cited for the delay is the case pending in the High Court questioning the validity of the entrance examinations conducted by the KPMCMA for admissions to the 50 per cent management quota seats.Sources said that the managements were waiting for the Court verdict. They may even back out of the agreement if they receive an adverse verdict. In that case, the managements will make admissions to all seats on their own from the ranklist published by the Commissioner for Entrance Examinations (CEE).However, the State Government sources are confident that the Association would soon sign an agreement to admit all students from the entrance list. Another reason for the delay was the resignation of KPMCMA secretary Sajan Prasad after a news channel exposed the collection of capitation fee at Dr Somervell Memorial CSI Medical College which he represented.The Kerala Self-Financing Dental College Managements' Association, like the KPMCMA, had not signed the formal agreement with the government even though it had agreed for a seat-sharing formula with the government. Meanwhile, the four medical colleges and the lone dental college under the Inter-Church Council that had opted out of an agreement with the State Government have commenced classes after completing the admission process to almost all the seats.
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