Durban - The University of KwaZulu-Natal has been directed by the Durban High Court to keep a spot open at its medical school for a straight-A matric student who believes her application for admission is not being judged on its merits.
She says in her urgent application, which came before Judge Johan Ploos van Amstel this week, that the university is incorrectly treating her as a “mature student” and demanding an academic record from the University of Cape Town which she cannot produce because she did not write any exams there.
Chavara Naidoo, a former Crawford College La Lucia pupil, says she deserves a place at the medical school on the basis of her 2014 matric marks, but the delays in resolving the issue and the quota system limiting the number of Indian admissions to the school means others, less qualified, could get the sought-after place.
In her affidavit before court, Naidoo said she obtained seven distinctions in matric, giving her a score of 47 out of a possible 48 on the university’s points scale.
She initially applied to UKZN after she wrote matric in 2014 believing that she would be in the “top group”.
But the university only offered her a post after she had already accepted one at UCT, and then things did not work out for her in Cape Town.
“As a 17-year-old girl I found it extremely difficult living and studying on my own. I felt lonely, isolated and I became depressed.
“After discussion with my family it was decided that I could not continue and I deregistered with UCT with the intention of applying again to UKZN for the 2016 academic year,” she said.
But, at this late stage, that application is still pending, apparently because UKZN has deemed her to be a “mature student” and is demanding her previous academic record.
“I am not a mature student as defined by the university. I have not obtained a degree or completed a year at a recognised university in South Africa. The only possible basis upon which I can be considered for selection is through my matric marks.
“I cannot find any rule that excludes me from making an application based on my marks because I spent time at another institution.”
Naidoo said because there were only a few places for Indian students at the medical school, she now feared that others, who had lower matric marks than her, would be offered places while her name remained incorrectly on the “mature student” list where it would not be considered on merit.
In terms of an order taken by consent, the university agreed to hold a place open for her “unless the places are all filled by candidates with higher scores then her”.
That is until January 19 when the matter will come back to court.
In the meantime Naidoo is to give the university her UCT academic record and certificate of conduct.
UKZN’s attorney Bruce Armstrong said the university could only take the matter further when it had those documents.
The Mercury
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