GMC Sundargarh gets Conditional Letter of Intent from NMC for 100 MBBS seats

Bhubaneswar: Bringing good news to the medical aspirants in Odisha, the National Medical Commission (NMC) has recently issued a conditional Letter of Intent (LOI) to the Government Medical College at Sundargarh for 100 MBBS seats.

Issuing the LOI, the Apex medical body NMC has asked the Dean and Principal of the institute for submitting an undertaking with an assurance that all infrastructural facilities would be provided to the students in terms of teaching and non-teaching staff, building, equipment, and hospital as per the NMC norms.

Besides, the college authorities will have to provide another undertaking for providing funds in their budget till their facilities get developed completely as per the time-bound programme indicated by them.

Earlier this year, Medical Dialogues had reported that Additional Director of Medical Education and Training (DMET) of the State, Dr Umakanta Satpathy had earlier mentioned that five new medical colleges would come up in Odisha within 2025.

It had been proposed that these new medical colleges would be constituted at Keonjhar, Sundargarh, Bhawanipatna, Jajpur and Phulbani. At that time, the construction of the administrative buildings of GMC Keonjhar and Sundargarh had already been completed. In fact, NMC had already paid a visit to those medical colleges and inspected the newly built infrastructure at the medical colleges in Keonjhar and Sundargarh.

Back in April, NMC had denied issuing the LOI after it found deficiencies in infrastructure, equipment and faculty positions.

Also Read: Five More Medical Colleges in Odisha by 2025

Recently, Union Health Minister Mansukh Mandaviya shared the data regarding the number of medical colleges in India with the Parliament. As per the data provided by him, there are a total number of 13 medical colleges in Odisha with an intake capacity of 2125 MBBS seats. Among these 9 are run by the Government with an intake capacity of 1350 MBBS seats, and 4 medical colleges are run by Private management with an intake capacity of 750 MBBS seats.

As per the latest data provided by MoS Health Dr Bharati Pravin Pawar, there are a total number of 13 medical colleges in Odisha with an intake capacity of 2125 MBBS seats. Among these 9 are run by the Government with an intake capacity of 1375 MBBS seats, and 4 medical colleges are run by Private management with an intake capacity of 750 MBBS seats.

In fact, Dr Pawar had also provided details of new medical colleges that are being constituted under the Centrally Sponsored Scheme for 'Establishment of new Medical Colleges attached with existing district/referral hospitals. In the case of Odisha, in the first phase of the scheme, five medical colleges have received a nod in Balasore, Baripada (Mayurbhanj), Bolangir, Koraput, and Puri. In the second phase, 1 medical college has been granted permission in Jajpur and in Phase III of the scheme, 1 medical college is coming up in Kalahandi.

Also Read: With 91,927 MBBS seats, 612 Medical Colleges operative in India: Health Minister gives breakup

The New Indian Express reports that NMC has issued the LOI to GMC Sundargarh and the State is also expecting another LOI for GMC Keonjhar that had been inspected by the Apex medical body.

"The medical college will also give an undertaking to implement the decision regarding payment of stipend during the internship of the undergraduate (UG) students similar to other UG sections of government medical colleges of the state," a communication issued by NMC mentioned.

Meanwhile, NMC has issued a warning to the medical college not to admit any student until the Medical Assessment and Rating Board (MARB) of NMC gives its formal nod. The Commission has also clarified that in case of misrepresentation of facts or fraud, the permission can be removed or withdrawn.

Also Read: NMC gives permission for 150 MBBS seats at Haveri Institute of Medical Sciences