CPS Courses to Restart? Maharashtra Medical Education Dept Rethinking its Decision of Derecognition

Mumbai: The Medical Education Department in Maharashtra is reportedly rethinking its decision to derecognise College of Physicians and Surgeons (CPS) courses.

In fact, a recent media report mentioned that the issue has led to a standoff between two senior cabinet ministers- Girish Mahajan and Hasan Mushrif. While the former Medical Education Minister Mahajan earlier granted his nod for derecognition of CPS courses, the Department, currently led by Mushrif, is reportedly rethinking the decision.

Meanwhile, several officials who supported the decision of CPS derecognition have now been transferred. Referring to these issues, Mahajan recently made a complaint to Chief Minister Eknath Shinde, who has issued directions to the officials to look into the matter.

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. In fact, the Central Government has also set up an eight-member committee to look into the matter.

The controversy continued further and 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.

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

Also Read: CPS Courses derecognised in Maharashtra

Amidst this situation, 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.

The government announced this decision around seven months after it informed the Centre about the various deficiencies identified by the State Council. The decision to derecognise CPS courses was taken by the then medical education secretary, Ashwini Joshi, and former Medical Education Minister Mahajan signed off on a government resolution in this regard on July 14.

However, the order dated July 13, issued by the Maharashtra Medical Education and Drugs Department was challenged by CPS. The registrar of Maharashtra Medical Council, Sanjay Deshmukh opposed this plea and filed an affidavit in the High Court.

Meanwhile, Minister Mushrif took charge of the Medical Education Department after the Ajit Pawar faction of the Nationalist Congress Party joined the Government.

As per the latest media report by Hindustan Times, in the recent development in the CPS controversy, former MMC registrar Deshmukh, who filed affidavit against CPS and allegedly refused to follow instructions from higher officials to support CPS, has now been transferred by the Medical Education Department. He has been sent back to his original department in the Maharashtra University of Health Sciences (MUHS). 

Confirming this development, Mushrif told HT, "His term at MMC was complete. I have given the charge of registrar to an official from my department. There were complaints against Deshmukh, and I had to answer queries about him in the assembly."

Meanwhile, taking up the issue of the transfer of officers related to the CPS course, including Joshi, Minister Mahajan recently approached Chief Minister Eknath Shinde and Deputy Chief Ministers Devendra Fadnavis and Ajit Pawar. Following this, the CM on Friday directed his office to look into the matter.

Referring to the rumours that efforts are underway to restart CPS courses, Mahajan told HT, "It is a bogus organisation with money changing hands to give postgraduate degrees. I met the CM and the deputy CMs and complained that there was no reason for a rethink of the decision taken in my tenure. I am told that the CM has asked officials to look into it."

The rumors of rethinking the decision of derecognition have been confirmed by Minister Mushrif as well. However, he also added, "Whatever the court decides is acceptable to us."

In fact, sources in the Ministry informed HT that the Medical Education Department is preparing to file an affidavit in HC. However, any such development has been denied by Mushrif.

Meanwhile, in the affidavit filed in the HC, MMC earlier contended that as per Section 10A of the MMC Act, it is necessary to get a permission from the Central Government to start a medical college or to start new courses by approved medical colleges. Sources pointed out that none of the institutions affiliated to CPS took the required permission.

MMC justified the action against CPS as it claimed that none of the CPS-affiliated institutes are teaching hospitals and therefore such institutes cannot be permitted to run the courses.

Commenting on the situation, the President of CPS Girish Maindarkar added, "We had met Mushrif with a plea to reconsider the earlier order. We had gone to him with all college and institution owners who ran CPS courses. There is a shortage of doctors in the state. Why allow the students to suffer by closing down the CPS. Besides, the state has no right to close 10 of our courses as they have no jurisdiction. We had also requested the medical education department to tell us about the lacunae in the courses and they are yet to get back on that. They can take action against a particular medical college but what is the necessity of closing down all courses. The matter is in court. Let us see what happens."

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