Thousands of medical aspirants in Maharashtra will have to wait another day, today, to know where they stand in the admission race, as the release of the latest seat allotment list has been postponed to August 11. The list, which was expected on Saturday, has been delayed amid pending court hearings and procedural approvals for newly permitted colleges.
The Maharashtra State Common Entrance Test (CET) cell confirmed that it is awaiting clarity on whether recently approved medical colleges will be included in this round of admissions. A petition on the matter is listed for hearing, adding to the uncertainty.
Students and their parents say the shifting timelines have upended their plans, especially for those who have travelled from outside the state to secure seats. Many have already booked accommodation and transport in anticipation of the allotment announcement.
“These repeated postponements are only adding to our anxiety and stress. Why isn’t there a proper, methodical and hassle-free way to do this?” asks Keshav Narain, father of an aspirant from Nagpur, both of whom have come down to Mumbai for the admission process.
For some families, the financial strain has already begun. Several parents told The WEEK they have spent significant amounts on temporary lodging and food, with no clarity on when the process will conclude.
The CET Cell had earlier issued the first list of seat allotments on July 31, but aspirants were still awaiting confirmation on their final placements. Officials say the delay in the second list is to ensure all eligible colleges are considered before seats are allotted.
With NEET-based admissions already running on a tight schedule, stakeholders worry that further delays could compress the counselling timeline and leave little room for students to make informed choices.
The admission process, which was meant to bring relief and certainty, has instead become an exercise in endurance for many. As one aspirant put it, “This is stress on another level. First, we need to study for a week to score competitive marks, then go through this process to secure a seat, and then do exceedingly well to secure a specialisation of our choice. It’s a never-ending journey of anxiety and stress for a medical student.”