The issue emerged at the NY Tasgaonkar Institute of Medical Science in Karjat, which began offering postgraduate medical courses for the first time during the current academic cycle. Authorities and stakeholders are now examining how a large group of admitted candidates reportedly withdrew simultaneously despite substantial financial commitments.

College Approved for PG Courses, Yet Seats Remained Unfilled

The institute received approval for **36 postgraduate medical seats** and entered the state’s centralised counselling process only during the **third round of admissions**.

According to admission records:

* All 18 seats under institutional and NRI quotas, which carry significantly higher fees — were initially marked as filled.

* However, four subsidised state quota seats remained vacant at the end of the round.

Soon afterward, when the next counselling phase began, the college declared that no institutional or NRI seats were available, indicating that admissions had already been completed.

Days later, the college approached the Bombay High Court claiming that all 18 candidates admitted under these quotas had cancelled their admissions, requesting permission to conduct institute-level admissions to fill the vacant seats.

Simultaneous Cancellations Raise Questions

The situation drew attention because all withdrawals reportedly occurred within a short period — an unusual development given that each seat reportedly involved fees of around ₹1.2 crore.

Experts and parent representatives questioned whether multiple candidates could independently take identical decisions at nearly the same time, particularly after securing highly competitive postgraduate medical seats.

The college stated before the court that late approval to start PG courses resulted in poor student response and a large number of vacancies. However, critics alleged that earlier admissions were not fully disclosed during legal proceedings.

CET Cell Orders Inquiry

A senior official from Maharashtra’s State CET Cell confirmed that the college informed authorities via email that **18 candidates cancelled admissions on February 24 and 25**, submitting cancellation forms as proof.

Following the development:

* The Directorate of Medical Education and Research (DMER) was asked to conduct an inquiry.

* A report has reportedly been submitted to the CET Cell, though findings have not yet been made public. ([The Times of India][1])

Officials are expected to examine documentation, payment trails, and admission records as part of the investigation

Concerns Over Institutional-Level Admissions

Admission guidelines in Maharashtra mandate that PG medical admissions be conducted exclusively through centralised online counselling** managed by the CET Cell, leaving little scope for independent institutional discretion.

Experts warn that vacant seats later filled directly by private institutions without government supervision could create loopholes in the admission process.

Among the questions raised by stakeholders are:

* Whether admission registrations originated from similar IP addresses

* How original academic documents were returned after admission confirmation

* Whether penalties for withdrawal were properly enforced

* The authenticity of financial transactions linked to admissions

Such issues, observers say, could impact fairness and transparency in postgraduate medical education.

Context: Growing Concerns Over PG Medical Admissions

The episode comes amid broader national debates over postgraduate medical admissions, where vacant seats and repeated counselling rounds have become increasingly common.

Experts attribute recurring vacancies to several factors, including rapid expansion of seat capacity, high course fees in private colleges, and uneven demand across specialisations. ([Select Your University][2])

Across India, policy adjustments — including reductions in qualifying cut-offs — have previously been implemented to prevent seats from remaining unfilled despite demand for specialist doctors. ([Wikipedia][3])

College Yet to Respond Publicly

Attempts to seek detailed clarification from the college reportedly received limited responses, with officials asking queries to be sent via messages but offering no substantive explanation.

As the investigation proceeds, education authorities and medical aspirants alike are awaiting clarity on whether procedural lapses occurred or if the withdrawals were legitimate individual decisions.

Implications for Medical Education

The controversy highlights deeper systemic challenges:

* Ensuring transparency in high-value medical admissions

* Balancing institutional autonomy with regulatory oversight

* Maintaining merit-based allocation in postgraduate training

With specialist doctor shortages continuing across India, stakeholders stress that every postgraduate seat represents a critical national resource making accountability in admissions essential.