Vishweshwar Bhatt, the editor of Vishwavani Kannada newspaper has continued to mislead the readers and defend the false information that his paper has carried about a NEET topper failing to secure seat, seat allocation and reservation.
On January 29, Bhatt, in his paper had carried an article stating that despite securing top rank in NEET at all India level, the Brahmin student could not secure a medical seat in medical college of Gadag because of the reservation system.
Bhatt, who had also posted the news on his twitter account, had said that “ this is the result of reservation in Karnataka that despite securing first rank, MD seat has been denied to a person because of the reservation system”.
In reality, neither the tweet nor the news of Bhatt is true. The news had claimed that a student named Gagan Kuber had secured first rank in NEET in the country which is false information. In fact, Kuber himself has given clarification in this regard.
Not just this, the entire article had false information on seat allocation and his intolerance towards the reservation system. In this regard, gaurilankeshnews.com has also conducted a fact check.
After this, on January 31, the newspaper again printed false information on seat allocation. The article says that a student named Arjun of Delhi who secured second rank in the NEET, could not get a medical seat in the college of his choice. The article says that a student from the general category could not get the admission in the medical college of his choice.
Even this news from the newspaper is false. The claims of the newspaper that the students of general category are not getting admission in government medical colleges, is wrong.
Every government college has certain reservation for the students of general category. Along with this, 10% reservation has also been given to financially weaker students of upper caste.
The fact is, it is difficult not just for students of general category, but for students of any category to get admission to the college of their choice.
They can submit applications in the colleges where the seats have been allotted. The reservation category also does not remain constant and it keeps changing every year.
For instance, if the seats in the medical college of Gadag are reserved for OBC, ST and general category, the reservation system changes next year. In case, if the reservation remains constant, then it will deprive a particular community from taking admission. Therefore, the reservation system keeps changing every year.
What is interesting is that the false news the newspaper had carried on January 29, later blamed Gagan for the false news.
The newspaper said that Gagan Kuber did not secure first rank in NEET, therefore many people are saying that it is his fault as he did not give correct information.
Meanwhile, it is reported that Gagan was not clearly aware of seat allocation. He also had disappointment toward the reservation system. In the video which he had shared, he has not claimed that he has secured top rank in NEET.
Talking on seat allocation, he had said that he merely said that even if he secures first rank at All India level, still he will not get a seat.
But in the hurry of writing against the reservation system, the newspaper had misunderstood that Gagan had claimed that despite securing first rank at all India level, he could not get admission in medical college.
Our team still has no information of the newspaper admitting its mistake on this issue. Bhatt has till date, not deleted his tweet carrying that false information.
Amid that, the Medical Education Department had cancelled the first round of seat allocation for PG students because of the reissuing of the seat matrix roster.
Keeping this as base, Bhatt has tweeted again. “ Some ignorant people who fail to understand the aspirations of the report in our newspaper, are shouting that the newspaper has published false information. See now even the medical education ministry has cancelled the first round of seat allocation”, he said.
The fact is that there is no relation between the article of the newspaper and the government order on cancellation of seat allocation. This has also been confirmed by career guidance expert, U. H. Umar.
“ Some colleges have been allocated with excess seats. Besides this, some discrepancies have taken place in first option entry. Because of this the seat allocation has been cancelled”, he said.
He further added that there is no link between the cancellation of the seat allocation, Gagan Kuber news carried in Vishwavani newspaper. No change has taken place in the old and new seat matrix in Gadag medical college”, he said.
Even Karnataka Examination Authority too has shared the same details in its website. The authority has said that new seats have been added in Chamrajnagar, Karwar and ESI Bangalore medical colleges.
The website does not mention any changes in seat allocation or reservation in Gadag medical college.
In total, Bhatt has displayed his anguish towards the reservation system and defended this false news both, in his tweets and his newspaper.
No seat allocation has been changed in Gadag medical college. The students can still apply to the colleges based on their reservation categories given to particular colleges.
Noted physician of Mangalore, Srinivas Kakkilaya has reacted to the tweet of Bhatt, has said that Bhatt cannot defend the indefensible as his false news will remain false. Even after preparing a new roaster, no change in reservation will take place this year in the Anesthesia and Neurology department of Gadag medical college. Your false news will not carry any weight, he said.
The story was first published in our sister website naanugauri.com. It is translated into English by Firoz Rozindar.
