13 September,2016 08:31 AM IST | | Pallavi Smart
They also want 85% seats in medical colleges in the state, for students holding domicile of Maharashtra
The parents outside the CM's house yesterday. Pic/Sneha Kharabe
Students and their parents want Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis to intervene in the medical admissions issue. They are also demanding that 85% seats in medical colleges in Maharashtra, be filled by students holding domicile of the state. Yesterday they gathered outside Varsha - the CM's residence - insisting on meeting him. But till late evening guards were shooing them away.
Amid the confusion over medical admissions, parents have alleged colleges have begun admissions informally, where candidates from out of Maharashtra are claiming seats while students from the state wait for centralised admissions. The National Entrance and Eligibility Test (NEET) was mandated at the last moment giving only couple of months to students for preparation. This has led to students from outside Maharashtra scoring more in the test. This, parents fear, will lead to non-Maharashtra candidates filling maximum seats.
"Most of the applications at deemed university colleges are from outside Maharashtra. This will also happen in private college admissions," said Minal Gowaliya, a candidate.
Ruchita Gaikwad, another student said, "If Maharashtra does not give us importance where do we go?"
One of the parents, Ruhi Kapoor, said, "We are determined to meet the CM. We have already submitted our demands to the medical education minister and principal secretary."
An online petition on the website change.org has collected 1,518 signatures. The petition - 85% seats in all medical colleges in Maharashtra to domicile students - clarifies the stand taken by students and parents from Maharashtra.
"Majority of the seats have been usurped by non-Maharashtrians. Does the government not want students to get seats in the state where they reside?" asked Shobha Lande, a parent who started the online petition.
