Deemed status of universities leave aspirants groping

STATUS QUO: The future of the hundreds of students who have applied to Chettinad College remains uncertain.

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Chennai: Ratan Babu is one of the many aspirants who have been hoping of getting a medical seat.

However, only just a week back, one of the medical colleges in Chennai backed out of councilling after being conferred a deemed university status.

This move has cost the government 83 medical seats.

Babu says, "The college has been deemed and so we've lost a lot of seats, which has reduced chances for many students to get a seat. I'm in a dilemma. We don't even know if the college is open for students for medicine this year or not."

Chettinad Hospital and Research Institute received the deemed university status on August 8.

Since then, the Institute refused to appear for councilling. There have also been accusations that there was a deliberate delay in holding the second phase of councilling in order to enable the college to receive the deemed status.

However, the Directorate of Medical Education rubbishes any such complaint.

Secretary, Selection Committee Medical Councilling, Dr Sheela Grace says,"The 2nd phase of councilling is not at all delayed. We are well ahead just to benefit the students. Chettinad's talks are going on. Today, we haven't shown it. But we haven't surrendered the seats. If they agree, we'll include the seats in the third phase of councilling. The government has to give us the orders."

Chettinad Medical College didn't appear in the 2nd phase of councilling but the Directorate of Medical Education is hoping that these seats could be made available to the students in the 3rd phase of councilling to be held in the first week of September.

But till then, the future of the hundreds of students who have applied to Chettinad College remains uncertain.