The medical entrance notification issued recently has included a provision which allows anyone from any part of the country, irrespective of their birthplace, to apply for admissions in 15 per cent seats in self-financing colleges.

This particular provision will adversely affect the admission possibilities of native Kerala students.

When the self-financing college management association approached the Supreme Court raising the issue, the apex court gave the verdict that candidates should be given an opportunity for applying without considering their place of birth.

However, the court didn’t say that a specific per cent of seats should be set aside for this purpose.

If 15 per cent seats are set aside, then 225-250 candidates from other states can seek admission in self-financing colleges in the state. Four Christian medical college managements in the state have informed the Commissioner for Entrance Exams that they would not be able to set aside 15 per cent seats in their institutions.

The Commissioner for Entrance Exams had approached the state government seeking clarity in the light of the Supreme Court verdict.

It was under these circumstances that the health department issued an order setting aside 15 per cent seats for NRIs and 15 per cent seats for candidates from outside the state.

In Christian management medical colleges, of the 100 MBBS seats, 50 are community seats and 15 NRI seats. Of the remaining 35 merit seats, 15 will have to be kept aside for students from outside the state as per the new provision.

Under these circumstances, the Christian managements have informed that they would not be able to set aside 15 per cent seats for students from outside the state. 

The office-bearers of self-financing medical college managements said that they had approached the Supreme Court with the objective of turning Kerala into an education hub and attracting more students from outside which is good for the state.

They said the candidates from outside will be charged fees on par with Kerala students.