NMC Recognition for MBBS seats at Stake: KUHS VC Calls Private Medical Colleges Heads for Meeting

Thrissur: After the National Medical Commission (NMC) denied "continuation of recognition for MBBS degree courses" for three private medical colleges in Kerala and reduced the intake capacity at another self-financed medical college, the Vice-Chancellor of Kerala University of Health Sciences (KUHS) has called the principals of those institutes for a meeting on Tuesday.

This comes after, the Governor of the State Arif Mohammed Khan, who is the Chancellor of the University, issued directions in this regard to the VC. One of the private medical colleges, which has lost recognition from NMC, had appealed to the Governor seeking his intervention.

Since these colleges can rectify the deficiencies and appeal against the decision of the Apex medical body NMC for restoration of the recognition, the KUHS VC gas decided to discuss what the individual institutes could do to appeal against the Commission and gain back the recognition.

Apart from this, the University would also write to the Apex medical commission directly on behalf of the colleges and call for a speedy hearing with the NMC to ensure that the MBBS admissions this year are not affected.

Medical Dialogues had earlier reported that Kerala may lose around 450 MBBS seats as NMC denied recognition for three private medical colleges in the State. The three medical colleges that have been denied recognition by the NMC include Jubilee Mission Medical College & Research Institute, Thrissur, Dr. Somervell Memorial CSI Hospital & Medical College, Thiruvananthapuram and Sree Gokulam Medical College & Research Foundation, Thiruvananthapuram. While in the case of the first medical college, 100 medical seats have been lost, 150 seats each have been lost at the other two medical colleges.

Also Read: NMC Denies Continuation of Recognition to 3 Medical Colleges, Kerala likely to lose 450 MBBS Seats

Apart from this, the UG Board of the Apex medical education regulatory body has also reduced the number of medical seats to half in Thiruvananthapuram-based Sree Uthradom Thirunal Academy of Medical Sciences (SUTAMS). The institute has lost 50 out of its 100 MBBS seats.

NMC took this decision after it discovered several deficiencies in these medical colleges such as deficiency of associate and assistant professors in many departments, inadequate number of tutors, demonstrators, senior residents, implementation of Aadhaar-enabled biometric attendance system (AEBAS), "substandard: way of conducting annual examination, non-functioning cameras in the hospital area, etc.

As per the latest media report by The Hindu, amidst this situation, Governor Arif Mohammed Khan, who is the Chancellor of KUHS, intervened and issued a directive to KUHS VC for conferring with NMC on behalf of the medical colleges. Following this, K. Mohanan, the Vice-Chancellor of KUHS has called a meeting of the Principals of the four private medical colleges.

The Governor intervened after one of the four private medical colleges, Jubilee Mission Medical College wrote to the Governor and sought his intervention regarding the issue.

During the meeting on Tuesday, the VC of the University would discuss what could be done by the medical colleges to appeal for restoration of recognition from NMC. Further, the University would also write to the Commission on behalf of the colleges and request for a speedy hearing in this regard to ensure that MBBS admissions for this year do not get affected.

While commenting on the matter, Dr. Mohanan told the daily, NMC inspections are imperative to medical college to make sure that they are keeping up with the quality of medical education. Colleges pulled up by the NMC could always go on appeal once the deficiencies were corrected.

Medical Dialogues had earlier reported that in a major crackdown over non-compliance to its mandated standards for imparting medical courses, the apex medical regulatory body, NMC has so far de-recognised around 40 medical colleges in the last two months. According to officials, about 100 other medical institutes are presently under the scanner and are likely to face the NMC action soon.

Speaking to the ANI, the official sources informed, “The action was taken on account of these institutions not complying with norms as well as lapses pertaining to faculty and security (CCTV) cameras.”