GMC Konni gets NMC nod for 100 MBBS Seats

Pathanamthitta: All the efforts of Konni Government Medical College paid off since the National Medical Commission (NMC) has finally given its permission to the institute to commence admission in 100 MBBS seats from this year.

Confirming the same, the State Health Minister of Kerala, Veena George informed on Monday that with the NMC nod for GMC Konni, the State has now altogether 1,655 MBBS seats in the Government medical institutes.

Medical Dialogues had earlier reported about the continuous efforts of the GMC Konni administration for commencing MBBS classes from the ongoing academic year. In fact, reportedly NMC was satisfied with all the preparations of the medical college and the State Health Minister had hinted at the possibility of a written assurance from NMC at anytime.

Last year, the Medical Education Department of Kerala had sought NMC nod for commencing MBBS admission in GMC Konni. For this, the State had also initiated the process of attaching the Pathanamthitta General Hospital to the new medical college, as part of new central government project which required upgrading the district and general hospitals to medical colleges, in an attempt to get approval from the NMC. However, back then NMC had nod given its nod for the medical college. Recently the Apex medical body expressed its satisfaction over the preparations at GMC Konni for commencing MBBS admissions in the ongoing academic year.

Also Read: GMC Konni plans to commence admission from this year, NMC satisfied with preparations

Mentioning about the possibility of NMC's written assurance soon, the State Health Minister Veena George had earlier mentioned about the Development works worth over Rs 250 crore that have been carried out at the hospital after this government came to power. Apart from this, works worth Rs 200 crore have commenced on an administrative block and allied facilities, apart from a second block with 200 beds. Besides, Kerala Infrastructure Investment Fund Board (KIIFB) has approved Rs 18.72 crore to the medical college for finishing the preparations required for first-year MBBS classes. The Health Minister further had informed that the college also received administrative sanction for Rs 15.5 crore for construction of internal roads, entry gate and a sewage treatment plant.

As per the latest media report by The New Indian Express, Minister George has finally confirmed on Monday about the long pending permission from NMC for commencing admission at GMC Konni in 100 MBBS seats.

While commenting on this, the Minister told the daily, "With the new 100 MBBS seats, the state has a total of 1,655 MBBS seats in the government sector now. With this, a long-standing dream of the district has been fulfilled. Large-scale development activities can be carried out in the medical college as it has received the NMC permission. This medical college can be upgraded to the standard of other medical colleges in the state in a phased manner. We have facilitated all procedures for starting teaching from this academic year."

She further referred to the NMC approval for two more medical colleges during this government's tenure and added, "It has increased the medical seats by 200 in the state. Nursing colleges were also started in Kollam and Mancheri medical colleges, paving the way for giving admission to 120 students. Currently, Thiruvananthapuram Medical College has 250 seats, while medical colleges in Kollam have 110 seats, Konni 100, Alappuzha 175, Kottayam 175, Idukki 100, Ernakulam 110, Thrissur 175, Mancheri 110, Kozhikode 250 and Kannur 100 seats."

Commenting on the NMC permission for GMC Konni, the legislator of Konni, K.U.Janeesh Kumar referred to earlier efforts for addressing the shortcomings in the first round of inspections by the NMC and further mentioned that the medical college received the NMC nod by holding an online hearing after two months of filing an appeal.

"The institution currently sits on a 50-acre property, while more land will be required to ensure its future development. In view of this, preparatory works on land acquisition for the project will also begin soon," he told The Hindu. 

Meanwhile, the District Collector lauded the collective efforts by the hospital staff, bureaucracy and the political leadership and added, "Review meetings were held regularly under the Health Minister and the legislator, and a report was prepared accordingly. A hearing on the appeal was held early this month."

The daily adds that apart from GMC Konni, two nursing colleges with an intake capacity for 120 students have been opened at the medical colleges in Kollam and Manjeri.

Also Read: GMC Konni All Set to enter second phase Expansion