DMET cancels direct Medical PG counselling following SC order

--Counselling to be held again for open category

BHUBANESWAR: Following the Supreme Court order to not give any special weightage to the in service doctors in admissions to PG medical seats in the open category as it would adversely affect the interests of meritorious candidates, the Directorate of Medical Education and Training (DMET) Odisha cancelled direct Medical PG counselling and for that purpose counselling would be held on Thursday again for the open category.

A Bench of Justice K S Radhakrishnan and Justice Dipak Misra said since in-service doctors are already having a separate quota for PG admission if they intend to compete in the open category they can do only like any other meritorious candidate.

“We are of the view that such encroachment or inroad or appropriation of seats earmarked for open category candidates (direct admission category) would definitely affect the candidates who compete strictly on the basis of the merit,” Justice Radhakrishnan writing the judgment said.

“The in-service candidates are also free to compete through the open category just like any other who fall under that category,” the Bench said.

Dr Satyaprata Sahoo and others, who appeared in the entrance exams for PG (Medical) Selection 2012, had challenged the State Government’s decision in the Odisha High Court. When the Odisha High Court uphold the decision of the State Government, the doctors challenged in the Supreme Court and finally the doctors own over the Government’s decision.

The Supreme Court Bench directed the State to accommodate the aggrieved candidates within one week, after excluding the in-service candidates. The counseling for the open category would be held on Thursday at Engineers’ Academy here. The counseling which was held on April 23 and July 13 for the open category cancelled and 637 students would participate in the counselling for 87 seats, DMET officials said.