The Supreme Court, in its latest order, has dismissed the prayer by the Odisha Private Medical and Dental Colleges Association (OPMDCA) to fill up the 15 per cent Non-resident Indian (NRI) seats.
The association had moved the SC in 2011 to fill up seats under the NRI category by conducting its own entrance examination for the academic year 2012-13. The association also wanted to fill up the seats that remain vacant after first round of counselling by holding common entrance test, for the academic year 2012-13. The association had in a way challenged the clauses in the Odisha Professional Educational Institutions (Regulation of Admission of Fixation of Fee) Act, 2007.
But SC has dismissed the prayer. Prior to 2010, the NRI seats were filled up according to the Odisha Joint Entrance Examination (OJEE). But after the SC’s recent order, the confusion surrounding the fate of the NRI seats is now over. “This would ensure and protect the quality of the students pursuing medical education,” said a senior State government official.
“The latest order by the SC is bound to have a spill over effect on the many other cases pending against the State government, filed by the various private engineering associations of the State,” said the senior State government official. There are numerous cases piling against the Directorate of Technical Education and Training (DTET) for more control over the seats reserved in the management category, by the private engineering associations.
Despite several attempts, the number of vacant seats in the engineering colleges has reached an all-time high with approximately 28,500 seats remaining vacant. To tackle the problem, the OJEE has scheduled a Web Based Vacancy Round Counselling for the students who may have missed out on the counselling. The counselling is from August 6 till August 11. Students who might have missed out on their counselling due to any reason can now have another chance.
“The major reason for the students not being selected is the limited number of choices that they provide during choice locking, when they have an option to give unlimited choice,” said an OJEE official. This year, the students in the ZZ category can also apply under the second counselling scheduled by the OJEE. This year 17,740 students applied under the ZZ category.
Around 5,677 students participated in the first round of counselling and 1,303 withdrew prior to the second round. “The students in the ZZ category, who will participate in the second round counselling, their seats will be converted to the general category,” said the OJEE official.
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