PGMET re-exam challenged in HC

“As many as 8,000 students out of 14,000 who have appeared for the test last time have been qualified. The University, with the help of CID, can delete the names of those who resorted to unfair means and conduct the counseling,” thus pleaded successful candidates with the court.

Hyderabad: Strongly opposing NTR University’s decision to conduct the PG Medical Entrance Test again, as many as 91 aspirants have knocked the doors of High Court with a petition that the move be stopped immediately and conduct counseling with the earlier ranks. They filed a petition on Wednesday stating that they would lose much if the exam is conducted again. The Judge, Justice Navin Rao, while postponing the hearing to next Wednesday, directed the State government, NTR University of Health Sciences (NTRUHS) and the CID to file affidavits before April 16.

“As many as 8,000 students out of 14,000 who have appeared for the test last time have been qualified. The University, with the help of CID, can delete the names of those who resorted to unfair means and conduct the counseling. I think this is the way that should be followed and not to cancel the exam altogether” a petition contends. “It is also against the law to conduct the exam again. All our hard work of over two years has gone waste” the students lamented.

Most of the students who file the case have reportedly secured very good ranks in the recent test. As they are very much sure about getting a seat in the discipline of their choice, the aspirants have not expected the turn of events and that they may have to face the test again. “They are relaxed and have not prepared for the re-exam. In the process, they lose two precious months. If the exam is conducted again, there is no garuntee that they would get the same good ranks. That’s why they went to Court” one of the aspirants told The Hans India.

It might be recalled that NTRUHS, on the direction of Governor E S L Narasimhan has cancelled the test, it conducted in March and decided to hold it again on April 27. A huge scam rocked the exam wherein a gang of brokers, with the connivance of some staff in the university, was involved in the leakage of question paper. CID teams swung into action and cracked the case in just under 60 hours and nabbed some culprits. According to CID Chief Krishna Prasad, it was scam of Rs 70 crore and more than 100 students paid Rs 50 lakhs to 1.2 crore each to purchase the paper.

The University has announced that the last date to apply online for freshers is April 11. It asked the aspirants who have applied last time not to register again.

Our legal correspondent adds:

University shielding the culprits: Students

Students, in their petition, criticized the university for ‘protecting the suspects’. “It is most relevant to point out that as per the PGMET notification only the candidates who completed their internship as on 31.3.2014 are eligible to submit applications. But in the fresh PGMET 2014 University permitted the candidates, who have not applied but wish to apply, shall apply now. It is strange to note the university is permitting the said 25 suspects to write the examination in the fresh PGMET-2014. In fact, they are taking steps to send hall-tickets to those 25 suspects also instead of deleting their candidature from the PGMET-2014 merit list and debarring them from writing the PGMET examination for the next three years as stipulated in the Regulation No.7.4.1 of the prospectus of PGMET-2014. From this, it is clear that the University is trying to protect the 25 suspects and the government is supporting the same.

Thus, it is clear that the cancellation of examination and conducting fresh examination is not for bona fide reasons and is the result of colourable exercise of power. Hence, the impugned G.O. and the consequential proceedings are liable to be set aside” they urged.