Undergraduate students of Bachelor of Medicine and Bachelor of Surgery (MBBS) at the University of Lagos (UNILAG) on Wednesday shut down the gates to the university to protest the university’s decision to increase the cut-off marks they must meet in order to continue their medical training.

According to the students, they got the shock of their lives when they turned up at the College of Medicine for resumption of both academic and practical courses and they were turned back by the College management saying the new quota system will not be able to accommodate all of them.

“Despite meeting all stipulated conditions, paid required fees, all the management could tell us is that we are not welcome at the College of Medicine. How possible can Medicine and Surgery students be refused the rights to study in College of Medicine? It is sheer callousness,” Moji Adenekan, a protesting MMBS student said.

The UNILAG Head, Information Unit, Mr. Toyin Adebule, made this known in a statement on Wednesday night.

According to him, UNILAG authorities will not want to flout such directive, as those admitted outside the quota will not be allowed to practice after graduation.

The statement read in part, “This year, the professional bodies have insisted on the enforcement of the quota upon which accreditation is hinged and hence the college has had to conform.  What this means is that only students that are indexed will be registered by the professional bodies to practice after graduation.

“Senate at its meeting held on Wednesday, 27th January, 2016 had approved the implementation of the re-arrangement to conform to the professional bodies’ quota in order not to lose accreditation. This has regrettably meant that we have only been able to receive students into the college only up to the number the College of Medicine is allowed by the quota.

“We recognise and regret that this has led to some students being unable to cross over into the College of Medicine or their course of choice. Consequently, all candidates who were not successful to be placed in programmes in CMUL have been allocated to appropriate programmes on the main campus in Akoka.”