CPS challenges derecognition, Former Medical Council member moves HC against petition

Mumbai: Opposing the plea by the College of Physicians and Surgeons (CPS), which challenged the Maharashtra Government's decision to de-recognise the CPS courses, a former member of the Maharashtra Medical Council (MMC), Dr Suhas Pingle has now approached the Bombay High Court. 

Earlier this year, the Maharashtra Government de-recognised the courses offered by CPS and asked the medical institutes and hospitals not to admit students for any of the 26 diplomas or fellowships offered by CPS, Mumbai. However, the State had clarified that the candidates who had already been admitted to these PG courses before the notification would not be affected by this.

However, the order dated July 13, issued by the Maharashtra Medical Education and Drugs Department was challenged by CPS. The plea by CPS has been challenged by Dr. Pingle, who is also the former president of the Maharashtra chapter of the Indian Medical Association. Dr. Pingle opposed the plea on the grounds that "in larger public interest" of maintaining standards of medical education it is required that CPS is either shut down or taken over by the State Government.

Approaching the High Court bench, Dr. Pingle has sought the permission of the High Court bench to intervene in the matter to "highlight many more irregularities and illegalities in the majority of hospitals and clinics recognised and/or approved by CPS as training and/or teaching centres for conferment of postgraduation qualifications."

In this regard, the plea stated, "If allowed to intervene the applicant can also highlight in detail how the students are admitted to CPS courses and how they are allowed to appear for examinations without there being any postgraduation teachers."

Also Read: Maharashtra to add 1,100 DNB Seats to Compensate for loss of CPS courses

As per the latest media report by Hindustan Times, Dr. Pingle mentioned in his plea that he got to know that CPS used small hospitals like clinics to train and teach students before conferring its medical degrees.

He added that these clinics/hospitals do not have the essential infrastructure, equipment, teaching and non-teaching staff. “No transparency was maintained while admitting the students to various postgraduate courses and in conducting the examination and evaluation of answer sheets.” 

The plea claimed that several students were being given passing certificates despite failing in the examinations. Dr. Pingle further informed in the plea that the Medical Council of India had recommended in 2000 to de-recognise CPS courses and later de-recognised 11 courses.

"Unfortunately, because of the influence CPS and its office-bearers had on the government, the state in 2011 included the de-recognised courses in the MMC schedule. MMC was then under the administrator’s rule," mentioned the plea.

The plea further highlighted the fact that CPS courses were only recognised in Maharashtra and added, "In short, the state illegally and without visiting any hospitals and/or clinics, where the students are claimed to have been trained for CPS courses, included the 11 courses, which were de-recognised by the Medical Council of India, in the MMC schedule."

He further pointed out in the plea that under the existing legal regime regulating medical education in India, even the State Government do not have the authority to offer undergraduate and/or postgraduate medical courses without applying to the Centre and/or the National Medical Commission.

However, on the other hand, he pointed out that CPS, a registered society, had been conferred with "superior rights" for granting permissions to private hospitals and clinics to start medical courses.

The matter will be heard by a division bench headed by Justice Sunil Shukre and it has been listed for further hearing on November 1.

CPS courses have been facing major controversies for a long time. Medical Dialogues had earlier reported that referring to significant gaps in the standards or institutes offering CPS courses, the medical education department of Maharashtra previously wrote to the Union Health Ministry asking for its opinion on whether counselling can be conducted for around 1,100 CPS seats.

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.

Taking cognisance of the letter by Maharashtra Medical Education Department, the Central Government had earlier set up an eight-member committee to look into the matter.

Meanwhile, recently the Postgraduate Medical Education Board (PGMEB) of the National Medical Commission (NMC) recommended to the Union Health Ministry to withdraw the popular DPB- Diploma in Pathology and Bacteriology, DCH - Diploma in Child Health and DGO- Diploma Gynecology and Obstetrics courses run by CPS from the next academic year.

This recommendation was given by the NMC Board after discussing the issue meeting held on 12.04.2023. NMC PG Board expressed its disagreement with the Ministry for providing equivalence to the CPS courses and pointed out that such courses do not come under the purview of NMC.

After NMC, the National Board of Examinations (NBE) also offered rejection to the CPS courses by refusing to bring them under the aegis of the NBE. This decision was revealed by the NBE officials during a meeting on May 25.

At this outset, States including Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, Odisha, and Karnataka were reportedly considering to the intake for the CPS courses or discontinuing them.

Recently the Maharashtra Medical Council (MMC) started inspecting CPS-affiliated institutes in Maharashtra, which had refused inspection last year. While around 74 institutes refused inspection last year, several of them allowed the MMC inspection this year.

Amidst the ongoing controversy involving the CPS courses, Maharashtra Government on Friday derecognised the PG courses offered by CPS. The State Government announced this decision around seven months after it informed the Centre about the various deficiencies identified by the State Council.

Also Read: CPS Courses derecognised in Maharashtra