Chandulal Chandrakar Memorial Medical College Still Awaiting NMC Nod

Raipur: Health Minister Shyam Bihari Jaiswal recently confirmed that Chhattisgarh's Chandulal Chandrakar Memorial Medical College, which was acquired by the Chhattisgarh Government back in 2021, is still awaiting the recognition from the National Medical Commission (NMC) as of November 23, 2023.

This was confirmed by the Health Minister while responding to an unstarred question asked by BJP MLA Ajay Chandrakar on Friday, seeking to know the recognition status of the medical college.

MLA Chandrakar questioned the Health Minister if CCMM had received approval from MCI by November 30, 2023. If yes, then he also questioned regarding the number of sanctioned seats, the number of students admitted, and how many inspections have been conducted.

"When was the inspection of the medical college conducted, and what were its findings? Based on the inspection, has the full payment been made? If not, what were the reasons? How much budgetary allocation had been made for various expenses, and how much of it was spent? Is there any current loan? If yes, how much and what type of loan is it? How many beds are there in the attached hospital of the medical college, and how many employees/officers (contractual, permanent, or on daily wage) are working there? Are the authorized officials there receiving any perks or benefits? If yes, what are they," asked the MLA.

Also Read: After withdrawal of seats from NEET Counselling, NMC gives permission to Chandulal Chandrakar Medical college for 150 MBBS seats

As per the latest media report by The Times of India, in response to these questions, the Health Minister informed that the medical college did not receive any approval from MCI or the NMC by November 30, 2023. He further informed that the allocation for the college from NMC for the permitted intake capacity was 186 out of 200 seats for the academic session 2022-2023, and 200 out of 200 seats for the academic session 2023-2024.

Apart from this, Jaiswal further informed that after acquisition of the college, the State Government Committee submitted its evaluation report to the Government. Consequently, the Medical Education Department of Chhattisgarh Government released an order on January 5, 2023 estimating the value of the college at 130.66 crore. As of today, the private party which previously was managing the college, has been paid Rs. 89,28,04,000.

He added that complying with a high court order dated November 7, 2023, a fixed deposit of Rs 36,95,94,000 was made and the remaining payment of Rs 24,01,92,000 was under consideration. Therefore, a provision of Rs 150.259 crore has been made in the State budget 2022-2023. The Minister added that the medical college does not have any existing loans and the affiliated hospital has 835 beds.

Medical Dialogues had earlier reported that back in 2021, Chandulal Chandra Memorial Medical College, which was a private entity previously, was acquired by the State Government of Chhattisgarh. 

Previously, CCM Medical College with a yearly intake of 150 MBBS seats was declared 'zero year' by the erstwhile Medical Council of India (MCI). The institute failed to get the MCI approval for 2019-20 after the medical council's team inspected the medical colleges' premises and found gross deficiencies.

Staring at an uncertain future due to prevailing gross deficiencies at their medical college which led to the de-recognition by the MCI, the students approached various governmental authorities seeking transfer to other medical colleges in a bid to save their career prospects. Subsequently, they filed a petition with the HC on the basis of the medical college's de-recognition and MCI report and High Court directed the state government to form a committee and draft a scheme for transferring the aggrieved MBBS students into other medical colleges.

Also Read: MBBS doctors unable to take PG medical admission due to lack of NMC recognition: HC issues notice to institute, NMC, Centre