SUM Hospital and Medical College in Bhubaneswar

Bhubaneswar, July 17: Two private deemed universities today asserted that they would go ahead with their admission policy and not adhere to the government’s direction of providing reservation for 85 per cent students from the state in their MBBS and BDS courses.

Authorities of the varsities said they would enrol students on “merit basis” and not go by the government’s directive.

A spokesperson of the Kalinga Institute of Medical Sciences (KIMS) under the KIIT University said: “KIIMS is an all-India institution and will admit Odia students, who get in through the merit list.”

Rejecting the government version, a spokesperson for IMS-SUM Hospital said: “The state government has no control over the fee structure and admission process of the deemed universities.”

The two universities have 250 MBBS seats 200 BDS seats.

“The government called on KIIT founder Achyuta Samanta yesterday and he had agreed that 85 per cent the seats would be offered to students from the state. We hope he will not retreat from his commitment. He has already given an undertaking to this effect. All should work for the overall development of the state,” said a senior official of the health department.

The government official further claimed that as both the universities had taken land to set up their respective education institutions at a concessional rate and get other infrastructures, they had to abide by the government’s instruction. “The government is committed to the welfare of students. It will not compromise anything on this issue,” said the official, adding that the Institute of Medical Sciences and SUM Hospital, too, had been directed to abide by the domicile quota.

A spokesperson for KIIT, however, claimed that Samant had made no commitment regarding the domicile quota during the meeting.