Rajiv Gandhi University of Health Sciences' (RGUHS) new admission policy for the postgraduate medical courses has run into trouble as the students are moving the Karnataka High Court seeking a stay. The new admission policy was issued on the basis of the Medical Council of India's stand that seats should be opened to students of other states from academic year 2002-03.

Dr. R Seethalakshmi, director, medical education, government of Karnataka informed that the government of Karnataka was still discussing the allocation of seats between students from the State and outside the state.

But according to students seeking admission for PG courses opined that the RGHUS had no right to alter the seats allotted under the government quota as per MCI guidelines.

The total number of PG seats and dental seats is 1,200 and 300 respectively. There are 17 medical colleges in Karnataka offering PG courses and the State government runs four of them.

In the past, RGHUS had permitted only those medical and dental graduates who had studied not less than 10 years in Karnataka to apply for the PG course.

Karnataka's four government PG medical colleges offer 25 percent of the seats to candidates selected under the national entrance exam. Another 30 percent was allocated under in-service quota and the remaining 45 percent for general stream of students.

In the 13 private medical colleges 50 percent of the seats are set aside for merit students as per the Supreme Court order and the remaining are filled through the management quota.

The new prospectus for PG courses indicate that admission to the government seats will be based on the Ordinance governing the conduct of entrance exam framed under the RHUHS Act.

Dr. KM Srinivasa Gowda, registrar, RGUHS said that though the number of seats for the non- Karnataka cadre has not yet been specified, apprehensions are that whether it would affect the prospects of the students from Karnataka.

The registrar pointed out that a Supreme Court order with reference to a university from Goa said that the domicile status of the student does not prevent him from taking a seat in other states.

He further stated that RGUHS would conduct the exam and finalise the seat matrix, which would clearly specify the seats in various slots. "This should not pose a problem for the students of Karnataka if they do well and secure a seat in the merit category.