HC relief: MBBS Admissions of 62 students in 'unsafe zone' to be left undisturbed

Ahmedabad: In a major relief to the 62 students whose admission to SBKS Medical Institute and Research Centre of Sumandeep Vidyapith was facing uncertainty due to the National Medical Commission's (NMC) disapproval of the college's proposal for renewal, the Gujarat High Court bench has now ordered that their admissions should be left undisturbed.

Granting relief to these 62 students in the 'unsafe zone', the HC bench comprising Justice Nikhil Kariel has, however, directed the Medical Counselling Committee (MCC) not to assign any more students to the medical institute, adds TOI.

It has been decided by the HC bench that this year there will not be more than 212 students at the medical college as the Court retained 62 seats more than the permitted 150 medical seats. This decision was taken by the High Court bench as it took note of the fact that the admission committee had already assigned students to the medical college.

Meanwhile, the Apex medical education regulator NMC has also said that taking the careers of these students into consideration, it would not disturb these admissions, adds TOI.

Medical Dialogues had earlier reported that following a surprise inspection at the medical college last year, the Medical Assessment and Rating Board (MARB) of NMC issued disapproval of the college's proposal for the 2nd batch 1st renewal of 150 to 250 MBBS seats for the academic year 2023-2024.

Last year, during the surprise inspection, the Commission found several deficiencies regarding the teaching faculty, residents/tutors, additional faculty required for PG courses, bed occupancy, etc.

Following this, writing to the college authorities, NMC referred to the surprise inspection conducted by MARB on 21st December 2022. In the Assessor's report, the Commission referred to several deficiencies.

There was a 6.2% deficiency of teaching faculty and a 10.5% deficiency of residents/tutors. Deficiencies were found in the additional faculty required for PG courses as well in specialities like General Medicine, Paediatrics, General Surgery, and Orthopaedics.

The report also referred to grossly inadequate bed occupancy with 31% deficiency and it also mentioned that the clinical data provided by the institute was much higher than the actual. There were no details regarding the construction and renovation work which is in progress at the hospital and no documents were provided in respect of the MRI machine installed/owned by the hospital.

Recently, the Medical Counselling Committee (MCC) also issued a notice pointing out that the matter was being considered by the Gujarat High Court, MCC advised the MBBS aspirants to make informed decisions in Round 3 of UG Counselling 2023 if they planned to opt for the concerned medical college.

Through a notice dated 05.09.2023, MCC also clarified that the admission of candidates to this institute beyond the approved intake by NMC of 150 MBBS seats will be subject to the final outcome of the pending matter before the Gujarat High Court in the case of SBKS Medical Institute and Research Centre Vs. National Medical Commission.

Also Read: HC Slams NMC for Inspection of BK Shah Medical College During Admissions

After the NMC slashed 100 medical seats at the institute, 62 recently admitted students were facing uncertainty regarding their future. So, HC Justice Nikhil Kariel suggested remedial measures and said that the medical college should deposit an amount and NMC can carry out another inspection and point out deficiencies. He further directed the college to comply with the norms.

Meanwhile, the concerned 62 students, who got admitted through the all-India quota, were placed in the 'no safe' zone by the Medical Counselling Committee, and they also approached the High Court.

As per the latest media report by the Times of India, the HC has now ordered that the admissions of those 62 students in the 'unsafe zone' shall be left undisturbed. Further, the Court has directed the Committee not to assign more students to the medical college.

The Daily adds that Justice Nikhil Kariel has decided that the college won't have more than 212 students this year, retaining 62 seats more than the 150 seats permitted by the NMC, as the admission committee already assigned students to the college.

NMC has also said that it would not disturb these admissions. The dispute was resolved after the college promised to remove the deficiencies, which were pointed out in the August 29 order passed after the inspection by the Apex Medical Commission, within a period of eight weeks.

Also Read:NMC Disapproval to Renewal of 150 to 250 MBBS seats at BK Shah Medical Institute, MCC issues notice on choice filling