CPS admissions: Maha Medical Education Department Issues Third Notice to CPS seeking explanation on Deficiencies

Mumbai: While the Central Government has set up a panel to look into the matter concerning courses run by the College of Physicians and Surgeons (CPS), Mumbai, the State Medical Education Department (MED) of Maharashtra has issued a third show-cause notice to CPS and sought an explanation regarding the deficiencies found in its institutes.

The Department has also sought to know about the relationship of CPS with the newly formed Association of CPS Affiliated Institutes. CPS can respond to the show-cause notice until April 14, 2023.

Established back in 1912, CPS Mumbai is an autonomous body that imparts Postgraduate medical education and offers fellowship, diploma and certificate courses for the medical professionals. For the Diploma courses, the tenure is of two years and in case of Fellowship, the tenure is three years. After obtaining the qualification granted by CPS Mumbai, the practitioners become allowed to register themselves as specialists in the concerned specialty.

The controversy regarding CPS admissions in Maharashtra commenced after referring to significant gaps in the standards of institutes offering College of Physicians and Surgeons (CPS) affiliated courses, the medical education department of Maharashtra recently wrote to the Union Health Ministry asking for its opinion on whether counselling can be conducted for around 1,100 CPS seats.

Also Read: CPS Mumbai moves HC challenging state govt decision of barring admissions

Writing to the Centre, the department referred to the inspection of the Maharashtra Medical Council conducted last year and how during the inspection, MMC had found "severe deficiencies" in several institutes.

Recently Union Minister Nitin Gadkari extended his support to the CPS Affiliated Institutes and sought the intervention of State Chief Secretary pointing out that in case of any further delays in the admission process of 2022, the association has expressed fear that the State could lose altogether 1,100 CPS seats.

However, the State Medical Education Department did not change its decision and sent a show-cause notice to the CPS management and demanded an explanation regarding the deficiencies found in its affiliated institutes within March 21. Meanwhile, CPS approached the Bombay HC bench and filed a plea in this regard seeking restarting the admission process. Recently, taking cognisance of the matter, the Central Government set up an eight-member panel to consider the matter.

Amidst all this, the State Medical Education Department has issued a third show-cause notice to CPS seeking a response regarding the deficiencies found in its institutes.

As per the latest media report by the Times of India, the Central panel constituted to look into the matter held its first meeting in New Delhi on Wednesday. The meeting was attended by the Vice-Chancellor of the Maharashtra University of Health Sciences (MUHS), Dr. Madhuri Kanitkar, the joint director of MED, the members of the National Medical Commission, and the representatives of CPS.

The daily adds that the State informed the Committee about the deficiencies found in the institutes offering CPS courses. In this regard, the State has also informed the fact that the matter was sub judice since CPS approached the HC bench and as a result, no decision could be taken regarding commencement of admissions.

At the meeting in Delhi, other issues including the future of CPS was also discussed. Discussions were held regarding the possibility of merging seats with the National Board of Examinations.

While commenting on the matter, a senior official from the State informed TOI that CPS has not responded to most of the questions raised by the MED. This includes the functioning of CPS, inadequacies in the colleges and the accounts of affiliation fees collected from the institutes.

Since CPS could not come up with satisfactory responses in response to the first two notices, the State authorities issued the third notice recently. Speaking about the issue, the State official added, "Besides the lacunae, we also want to understand its relationship with the association of affiliated colleges, which is an unregistered body, but has written to MMC questioning their jurisdiction. We want to know what CPS's stand is on that."

The official further mentioned that CPS or any association cannot insist that neither the MMC nor the State can conduct inspections.

Also Read: CPS admissions row: Centre Constitutes Committee to Look into CPS Courses Recognition