MP Wilson seeks Centre's intervention over 1.3k unfilled PG med seats

CHENNAI: Rajya Sabha MP and DMK functionary P Wilson flagged the the issue of more than 1,300 post graduate (PG) seats remaining unfilled even after the conclusion of special Stay Vacancies Round for the academic year 2022-2023 and sought the immediate intervention of union health minister Mansukh Mandaviya to give extra window to the aspirants to apply for the vacant seats.

"I have received numerous complaints that for the academic year 2022-2023, about 1,311 of PG valuable seats have been left vacant even after completion of Special Stray Vacancies (MD/MS/DNB) Round of NEET PG, " said Wilson in a letter to the minister.

He listed quota and state-wise unfilled seats. Going by the data, as many as 640 All India Quota (MD/MS), 589 (MD/MS) Management seats and 82 DNB were vacant across the nation. Of these, 100 seats were lying vacant in Tamil Nadu, while 325 and 268 seats were left unfilled in Maharashtra and Karnataka respectively. "It posts a grim picture on the NEET counselling procedure and exposes the harm the NEET causes and the lethargic manner the Director General of Health Services are conducting themselves in handling the medical seats, " he said.

Each PG seat is a national asset and it's shocking to note that they were going waste due to mismanagement of counselling procedure in filing up of stray vacancies, he said. " Many meritorious poor and downtrodden are not getting a fair treatment in counselling procedures as the seats obtained out of their merit are counted towards quota in violation of orders of the Supreme Court, " he said and pointed out his previous two letters in this regard to the minister.

He demanded departmental action against the authorities concerned in connection with the issue.

The authorities gave an announcement on January 2 for the extension of a special stray round up to January 14 for the AIQ and no announcement regarding seat quota then. The authorities gave an announcement on state quota only on January 10 granting time to fill up till January 14, he said and pointed out there were 100 seats remaining unfilled in TN. He urged the minister to ensure an extra window for the state to enable those students to apply for the vacant seats to make use of the opportunities.