Non-Compliance with NMC Standards: Recognition of 150 MBBS Seats at GMC Alappuzha temporarily suspended

Kottayam: With the MBBS admission process getting started, undergraduate medical education in Kerala is facing a major setback as the National Medical Commission (NMC) has temporarily suspended the recognition of Government Medical College, Alappuzha for 150 MBBS seats. 

The Apex medical commission has issued the suspension to the medical college after conducting a surprise inspection at the institute. TOI adds that the Commission took this decision for "non-compliance" with the standards set by NMC.

Meanwhile, the college authorities have assured that all the corrective measures would be taken at the earliest.

Government T D Medical College, Alappuzha was started in the year 1963. Even though initially it was managed by T.D.M.C management, ultimately Government took over the college and during the years 1972-1973 it turned into a full-fledged Government institute and became the fourth Government Medical College in the State. The college has altogether 175 MBBS seats including 25 seats under the EWS quota.

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As per the latest media report by the Times of India, NMC has now temporarily suspended the recognition of the college for 150 MBBS seats, for "non-compliance" with the NMC standards.

This comes after an NMC team carried out a surprise inspection at the medical college two months ago. Sources informed TOI that the Commission had found major deficiencies in the medical college. Allegedly, one of the reasons why NMC issued suspension is that the NMC team found lack of an emergency medicinal treatment facility at the medical college.

"Also, there was a shortage in the number of faculty, especially that of Senior Resident Doctors,” a senior official told Onmanorama on the condition of anonymity.

Meanwhile, the college authorities have assured that the lapses pointed out by the Apex medical commission would be addressed on an immediate basis by taking adequate corrective measures.

“We’re taking corrective actions and documentation to rectify the situation on a war footing. After completion of the measures, we’ll submit an application at the NMC headquarters in New Delhi. The state government, too, would be assisting us in the process. We’re confident of meeting all the NMC standards and hope to restore the recognition in a month,” the official said.

Amid the news of NMC suspension, the Vice Chancellor of Kerala University of Health Sciences K. Mohanan on Wednesday assured that even though the Commission had earlier written denying recognition to MBBS courses in many new GMCs and even the 50-year-old Alappuzha Government Medical College citing shortage of faculty and residents, it seemed that the Commission was willing to give exemption to the colleges for the current year, adds The Hindu.

Referring to this, Dr. Mohanan told The Hindu, “As I understand, the all-India quota of 15% seats in all of these medical colleges in the State are being filled this year also, which indicates that the NMC will allow MBBS admissions to take place this year. However, it is true that the NMC has, during its inspections, found serious deficiencies in most colleges and this will have to be rectified at the earliest. Or else, similar issues will come up next year also."

Meanwhile, the medical college fraternity has pointed out that it is pathetic that NMC found even a 50-year-old institution like Alappuzha Medical College wanting in teaching faculty by 11.6% and shortage of residents at 7.6% and now the institute stands to lose recognition for its 150 MBBS seats.

Officials informed the Daily that NMC has also written to KUHS about derecognising some postgraduate courses in the Government medical institutes in the State because of a shortage of faculty. However, all of those issues are being "sorted out" with the Commission and the admissions will not be affected, said the officials.

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