Monitor, Improve Teaching Quality: TN DME Directs New Medical Colleges

Chennai: Taking cognizance of the complaints from students alleging poor teaching quality, the Directorate of Medical Education in Tamil Nadu has instructed the faculties of the 11 new medical colleges in the State to focus on improving the teaching quality at the medical colleges.

Directions have also been issued to the deans of the concerned new medical colleges to monitor the quality of teaching at the institutes, DT Next has reported.

This comes after the students from the new medical colleges recently raised a complaint to the Health Secretary Gagandeep Singh Bedi alleging poor teaching quality.

The State Health Department set up a panel to look into the issue and new instructions have been issued to the professors and deans of the medical colleges regarding the same.

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Commenting on the matter, the Director of Medical Education Dr. J Sangumani told the DT Next, "The deans appointed to all the new medical colleges have been asked to undertake the supervision of the teaching in the college. Any complaints by the students will also be taken seriously. The professors have been instructed to ensure that students do not face any academic pressure and are given due attention."

As per the Daily, the students alleged that they had to depend on online lectures as the classes were not held properly and they were conveyed mainly as presentations. It was also alleged that the mode of conducting the class was confusing for the students as the staff used to take classes in English and Tamil, thereby making it difficult for the students to understand.

They also raised concerns regarding a lack of transparency in the attendance system by the teachers. Responding to this, the officials from DME informed that the deans of the respective medical colleges and the directorate authorities will monitor the attendance.

The Health Department authorities have taken serious note of these allegations regarding the teaching quality in the medical colleges in Tamil Nadu, especially considering the speculations that the State Government would request more new medical colleges.

Medical Dialogues had earlier reported that with the deferment of the National Medical Commission's (NMC) rule of capping the total number of MBBS seats in a particular State/UT, the State Health Department of Tamil Nadu was planning to apply for new medical colleges in the State.

Aiming to ensure that there are at least one new medical college in every district, it was being speculated that the State Government would soon apply for new colleges at Tenkasi, Mayiladuthurai, Tirupathur, Perambalur, Ranipet, Kancheepuram, and Kallakurichi.

Also Read: As NMC defers MBBS seat cap rule, Tamil Nadu to Apply for New Medical Colleges