Dharna by medicos over uncertain future

PUDUCHERRY: A batch of 150 MBBS students of Venkateswara Medical College (VMC), a self-financing college at Ariyur here, staged a dharna in the college. They were admitted in 2010-2011 without the approval of Medical Council of India and demanded answers from the college administration about their future which remains at crossroads without MCI approval and non-declaration of results by Pondicherry University.Students and their parents demanded to know the status of the case pertaining to the issue pending in High Court. Unless the issue gets settled before September 20, the students would not be able to write their second year MBBS examination, a parent said. They have already lost one and a half months of second year classes. The college management has not been able to give concrete information to the parents about the final order, one of the parents complained.The MCI had not granted its approval citing shortage of faculty since two faculty members had been serving in Manakula Vinayagar Medical College, Puducherry, and Meenakshi Medical College, Kancheepuram.  The college then moved the High Court saying they were not aware of their faculty serving elsewhere, and even without the faculty members the deficiency was within the permitted level. Later, an interim order was given by the High Court in July 2010 permitting the admission of students, subject to the outcome of the final order. Following this, students were admitted including the 53 students sponsored by Centac. Parents feel that the case should not have been dragged on as it concerns the future of the students. In the meantime, students have remitted the second year fee of `2.75 lakh despite the non-declaration of results. The dharna was withdrawn after the management asked them to wait for three days as they along with some parents would pursue the case through senior advocates in High Court.