Kerala seeks NMC nod for 200 MBBS seats at 2 Medical Colleges

Seeking permission to fill 100 MBBS seats in each of these medical colleges from this academic year itself, the medical education department has submitted an application before the NMC, the apex medical education regulatory body, adds Mathrubhumi.

Already, these two medical colleges have earned the nod from the University of Health Sciences in this regard.

Medical Dialogues had earlier reported these two medical colleges in Konni and Idukki are waiting for the nod from the Medical Council of India (MCI), now NMC for quite some time now. Previously the apex medical body had denied permitting the Idukki medical college to start the MBBS course as MCI opined that the medical college lacked the required infrastructure and other facilities.

Last year, the MCI Board of Governors secretary-general Dr RK Vats had submitted a letter to the medical college mentioning seven defects and inconsistencies in the administration which include residents (58%), bed occupancy (29.3%), faculty (18%) clinical lab and radiological investigation at the hospital.

Also Read: MCI rejects permission to Idukki Medical College for admitting 50 MBBS students this year

As per the latest media report by Mathrubhumi, although the Idukki Medical College was established during the UDF reign and started admitting 50 MBBS students at first, it got canceled by the LDF government after it was noted that the college lacked some essential facilities. At that time, the students who were already admitted to the medical college got shifted to Alappuzha medical college.

The daily further adds that in an attempt to get the nod for Konni Medical College, the Government has initiated the process of converting Pathanamthitta general hospital as a hospital, related to the new medical college. For this, 47 doctors in the general hospital had also been transferred to the medical college.

While commenting on the matter, Medical Education department director A Ramlabeevi told the daily, "the medical college will only use the service of doctors in Pathanamthitta general hospital. All employees including the doctors will continue to work under the health department. Eligible doctors will be considered for the post of professor in the medical college."

As per the medical education department, under the central government project of upgrading the district and general hospitals to medical colleges, the Pathanamthitta general hospital will be made a part of the Konni Medical College. However, Kerala Government Specialist Doctors' Associations have opposed the decision.

Meanwhile, the State Medical Education Department has submitted an application to NMC and sought its nod for filling up 100 MBBS seats in Konni and Idukki Medical colleges and NMC approves the request after a detailed inspection, both the colleges are likely to begin their admission process from this academic year.

Currently, Kerala has a total number of 31 medical colleges including 10 Government medical colleges. The State offers medical education in 4105 MBBS seats and among these 1555 belong to the Government medical colleges.