Velammal Medical College asked to pay Rs 3 Lakh to students

EDUCATION SCANDAL & SCAMS

MADURAI: The Madras high court Madurai bench has the dean of Velammal Medical College Hospital and Research Institute (Madurai) to provide Rs 3 lakh compensation to three students each as the Institute did not give MBBS seats to them for the year 2013-14.

In spite of having higher ranks, these three students were denied seats for MBBS admission under management quota. Even though four students had approached the court for the relief, one affected-student was not given any relief by the court. Instead he got a direction from the court to approach the civil court to establish his case.

It is alleged that a scam might have happened in case of MBBS admission in Velammal Medical College last year. Many students who secured less marks has been given admission to the college while the complaining students have secured a better rank.

Admissions to 12 self-financing medical institutions in the state are carried out by the Tamil Nadu Private Professional Colleges Association (Health Science). These institutions have more than 500 MBBS seats to be filled under management quota.

The students who have got relief from the court are Nihaal Ahamed, Sneha Prethi and Gayathri, while R. Dharmaseelan, the fourth complainant did not get the relief from this court. The demand of the students had been to provide admission to the Velammal Medical College. But after hearing all the sides, justice K Ravichandrabaabu directed the college to give compensation to three students - - within a period of eight weeks from the date of receipt of the order copy.

In his order, the judge said the college had committed mischief which had resulted in great damage to the concerned students. "As per the judgment of the Supreme Court the cut-off date for MBBS admission in an academic year is September 30 and hence, such cut-off date cannot be extended by the high court bench," the judge said.

Besides, it was not also possible to accommodate those students in the next academic year as per law of the Supreme Court, the judge said.

"It is crystal clear that the college is at fault in sending the communication calling upon the students to come for counselling, belatedly (that is admittedly after the counselling was over). The court is of the view that the students cannot be left without any relief. They need to be compensated for the loss of one academic year," the judge observed.