Mumbai: Private medical and dental colleges in Mumbai on Saturday decided to restart the admission process for undergraduate (UG) students after the government assured them of disbursing pending scholarship dues.
According to sources in the state Ministry of Medical Education, the decision by the Association of Managements of Private Medical and Dental Colleges of Maharashtra comes after the ministry sent a letter to the association stating that it has taken cognisance of the matter and assuring them of disbursal of the pending reimbursements. Although the association accepted to resume admissions, it gave the government a deadline to come up with a concrete solution till the postgraduate (PG) admissions begin.
According to a top official, the ministry is slated to hold a meeting with all the departments that are responsible for the disbursement of scholarship money later this month to address the concerns raised by the private medical colleges. Earlier on October 4, in a letter to the state’s medical education secretary, the association had declared that private medical colleges had stalled admissions to MBBS and BDS (dental) courses after the second merit list was released on October 1. However, in a fresh letter released on Saturday, the association stated that colleges will resume the admission process and it will be completed on time.
Statement Of Brijesh Sutaria, A Medical Activist
“This resolution brings temporary relief, but the government must ensure reimbursements are done promptly and timely for the future as the academic future of many students hinges on smooth coordination between the government and private colleges,” said Brijesh Sutaria, a medical activist.
“Delays in admissions must be avoided going forward, especially with NEET UG and PG timelines closely tied. The admission process of NEET PG, which is about to start, should go smoothly,” he added.
According to sources, pending dues of more than Rs 25 lakh rupees per annum is owed by the government to each college. The disbursal of scholarship funds for some of these colleges is pending for three or four colleges, according to a source in the ministry.
