Centre not to slash 350 MBBS seats in Bihar

After the MCI recommendation to the Union health ministry, Bihar government made several representations in Delhi. Not only the principals of the respective medical colleges gave undertakings, principal secretary of health department Brijesh Mehrotra himself gave an undertaking saying all the deficiencies would be removed in time-bound manner. The MCI, at its last meeting this month, stuck to its stand and recommended to the ministry not to allow admission on 350 seats as the last date to accept the undertaking or compliance was over. It had put the ball in Union health ministry's court.

The MCI had recommended seat reduction in Sri Krishna Medical College, Muzaffarpur, from 100 to 50. Seats in Anurgrah Narayan Magadh Medical College (Gaya) and Jawaharlal Nehru Medical College (Bhagalpur) would have been reduced from 100 to 50 each. The MCI also refused to grant permission for admission in government medical colleges at Bettiah and Pawapuri. Both the colleges had 100 seats each. Other than Bihar, medical colleges of only Rajasthan and Madhya Pradesh were facing seat cut.

State health secretary Anand Kishor said, "It is learnt that the Centre has provided us relief. Any official confirmation will come on Monday." He added, "Now the faculty shortage has been reduced to less than 10%."