Almost 30 angry parents protested outside the counseliing centre at the Government Medical College at Omandurar Estate on Friday, alleging that the selection committee was giving away the seats meant for the 'open category' students to students from the OBC, SC and ST caste categories.
The parents started to agitate after they noticed that the open category seats were quickly getting filled despite the fact that many of the open category students hadn't been called for their counselling yet. "Why can't they stick to the system and the rules? Even if an SC student has reservation, they are first giving him seat in Open category. If the student already has reservation, they should give them a seat under that category. Why are they eating into the open category seats?" questioned a parent.
However, earlier reports did suggest that the counselling for reserved and unreserved categories would happen separately this year, which activists criticised because it would push the truly backward and less fortunate students at the back of the line and cut down their chances at a seat.
When the parents confronted the officials of the Selection Committee, attached to the Directorate or Medical Education, they were informed that that is the way the seats are meant to be allotted - that the open category seats get filled up first and the remaining students who haven't secured as high a mark can find a seat through their reservation. "My son has got a rank of 1038 and we are from the open category. Now it looks like leave alone a good college he won't even be able to get a seat this year," said J Theosophilis. "The officials are saying this is how it is always done. They're bluntly saying that no open category student with a rank lesser than 881 will get a seat. So what is the point of open category students coming in for all the other days of counselling?" she questioned.
A counter group of parents, mostly those of students from OBC, SC and ST students, claimed that the open category seats are in fact open to competition from all castes, "This is how it has always been, they fill up the open category and then those students who were not able to get in the general category will be eligible to get seats under the SC/ST reservation. These parents are falsely thinking that these seats are only meant from them, it is for everyone," said a parent.
Things finally calmed down in the afternoon when parents realised that no matter how much they raised their voices, there were only that many seats up for grabs - and their energy could be better invested in making sure their children got some seat.
