TS students worried delay in Neet counselling will help AP

Due to delayed Neet counselling in Telangana state, MBBS aspirants and a doctors association are worried that most of the 15 per cent unreserved category seats would be occupied by students from Andhra Pradesh where counselling by Dr NTR University of Health Sciences will start on Wednesday.

Healthcare Reforms Doctors Association has demanded that counselling in both Telugu states be conducted at the same time, as most meritorious aspirants from AP would be interested in occupying seats in top medical colleges in TS. Aspirants from TS would perhaps not show much interest in taking up admissions in the 15 per cent unreserved category seats in AP, it said.

Mr G. Srinivas, association secretary-general, said, “When AP can start counselling on time why can’t the TS government?”

Due to the Presidential order, students from TS and AP can apply for seats in their own states, and in the 15 per cent quota in the other state.

Mr Gnaneshwar Brahmarouthu, parent of an MBBS aspirant, said, “We would prefer seats in Telangana state but if the government delays the counselling here, we will miss a chance of securing a seat in Andhra Pradesh medical colleges in the 15 per cent unreserved quota as they have already started the counselling. Either the TS government should start counselling as soon as possible or AP should postpone their counselling. We don't want to miss a chance of getting a seat in either of the Telugu states''.

Dr Karunakar Reddy, Vice-Chancellor of the Kaloji Narayana Rao University of Health Sciences, said that that was not the case.

“It is the other way around. If we delay counselling, then AP aspirants will apply first to AP medical colleges. If we do it first, all of them will come here. If we delay, some of them will join colleges in AP and may not be inclined to shift here as they will lose their university fee, which is not transferable,” Dr Karunakar Reddy said.

HEALTHCARE REFORMS DOCTORS ASSOCIATION has demanded that counselling in both Telugu states be conducted at the same time, as most meritorious aspirants from AP would be interested in occupying seats in top medical colleges in TS.