CPS Admissions row: Medical Education dept serves another notice to CPS seeking Explanation

Mumbai: Despite serving three show cause notices in a row, the State Medical Education Department (MED) of Maharashtra has yet again issued a fourth show cause notice to the College of Physicians and Surgeons (CPS) seeking an explanation regarding the deficiencies found in its institutions during an inspection last year.

The Department decided to issue fourth notice to CPS after it failed to provide a satisfactory reply in the last three session. Therefore, CPS has been asked for the fourth time to provide an explanation regarding the the deficiencies by April 18. 

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 Admissions: Maha Medical Education Department Issues Third Notice To CPS Seeking Explanation On Deficiencies

Medical Dialogues team had recently reported that 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. 

According to data shared by HT, two institutions offering courses of specialisation by the CPS were found closed while anomalies were detected in 45 institutions. Another 73 institutions refused inspection.

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, the fourth notice came at a time when the Bombay high court is scheduled to decide on April 17 about the write petition filed by the CPS. It 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.

When asked about the fourth notice, CPS president Dr Girish Maindarkar said "Our lawyer submitted our reply before medical education department officials on April 12, two days before the third notice’s stipulated time ended. Our office has not yet received the fourth notice.”

On March 21, the Registrar of CPS Dr. Rajesh Darade attended the first hearing in which Dr. Joshi sought an explanation from CPS regarding the alleged anomalies detected at the institutes offering the courses but the Department were not satisfied with the explanation and issued a second hearing on March 24. However, CPS skipped the next hearing scheduled and approached the Bombay HC seeking restarting of the admission process, halted by the State.

Also read- CPS Mumbai Moves HC Challenging State Govt Decision Of Barring Admissions