MUMBAI, Nov. 7 -- Even after the completion of the third round of medical admissions in Maharashtra, 387 MBBS seats remain vacant across the state. Of these, 37 are in government medical colleges and around 350 in private institutions, raising concern among applicants and their parents. According to data from the State Common Entrance Test (CET) Cell, 219 students confirmed admissions in the third round - 101 in government colleges and 118 in private ones. In the first round, 6,848 of the 8,138 MBBS seats were filled, leaving 1,290 vacant. The Medical Counselling Committee (MCC) later approved 100 additional seats for some colleges, taking the total for the second round to 1,490. Parent activist Sudha Shenoy questioned the handling of additional seats, saying, "If the 100 newly approved seats are being included now, students who joined BDS should be allowed to upgrade to MBBS. Otherwise, it will be unfair." After the second round, 606 seats - 138 in government and 468 in private colleges - remained open for the third. Of the 606 candidates, only 219 reported, leaving 387 seats to be filled in the upcoming fourth round. Officials expect this number to rise, citing approvals for new private medical colleges. Vacancies also persist in dental courses, with 508 BDS seats still unfilled - 26 in government and 482 in private colleges. The persistent vacancies, especially in private institutions, have reignited debate over steep fees and opaque admission practices. Parents and student groups have urged the state government to ensure greater transparency and affordability in medical education....