MUMBAI, Nov. 13 -- Parents of medical aspirants have appealed to the state common entrance test (CET) cell to allow students already admitted to BDS courses to participate in the upcoming stray vacancy round for MBBS admissions. They argue that the recent addition of 100 new MBBS seats in two medical colleges, including 50 at the well-established Ashwini Rural Medical College, Solapur, has created an unfair situation for students who had earlier accepted BDS or lower-ranked MBBS colleges. According to the existing rule, students who have secured admission up to Round 3 in MBBS or BDS courses are not eligible to participate in Round 4, the stray vacancy round. In their emails to the CET Cell, parents have described the situation as a "gross injustice" to meritorious students. A parent from Mumbai said, "We understand that the Supreme Court has ruled that no upgrades should be allowed after Round 3. But if the authorities could make an exception for one student from Sindhudurg Medical College after Round 3, the same sympathetic approach should be shown to other deserving students as well." The parents have also proposed a practical solution -- to allow already admitted students to opt for only two preferred colleges in the stray vacancy round. Parent activist Sudha Shenoy said, "The NMC approved 100 new seats in two private medical colleges before the third round, but the CET Cell did not allot seats to them due to internal approval. Now that these are being included in the 4th round, students who have already taken BDS admissions should be allowed to upgrade to MBBS." Parents are expecting a speedy decision from the CET cell, as November 13 is the last day for choice filling. However, CET officials said any such relaxation is impossible, as per the existing admission guidelines. Meanwhile, Shenoy pointed out that in 2016, the CET cell allowed students to apply in Round 4, as one college got permission for extra seats after Round 3....