NMC gives conditional Letter of Intent to 5 new WB medical colleges, 600 MBBS seats likely to be added

Kolkata: Bringing good news to the medical aspirants in West Bengal, the National Medical Commission (NMC) has given its nod to five out of six new medical colleges in the State for this academic session.

NMC, the Apex medical body has not given its nod for only the proposed medical college in Jhargram, However, the Commission inspected the medical college at Jhargram on Tuesday and the State Health Department is hopeful for the NMC clearance for in this regard as well.

Meanwhile, issuing conditional Letters of Intent to other five medical colleges, NMC has asked the principals of those institutes to give an undertaking to assure that all the necessary infrastructure, in compliance with the NMC guidelines would be set up.

If NMC gives its nod for Jhargram Medical College as well, another 600 MBBS seats would be added to the State seat matrix.

Medical Dialogues had last year reported that West Bengal Government had announced about establishment of 6 new Government medical colleges with a total intake of 600 MBBS seats.

Issuing a notice in this regard, the West Bengal Government had announced, "6(six) new Government Medical Colleges are being established namely at Arambagh (Hooghly), Tamluk (Purba Medinipur), Barasat (North 24 Parganas), Jhargram, Uluberia (Howrah) & at Jalpaiguri under the Centrally Sponsored Scheme of "Establishment of new medical colleges attached with District/ Referral hospitals" Phase-II & Phase-III."

Earlier the State Health officials had mentioned that once they get clearance from the Central Government, they would be in a position to start at least two from the coming academic year.

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As per the latest media report by the Times of India, while NMC has issued conditional Letters of Intent to five of the six medical colleges, the permission for Jhargram Medical College is still pending. Speaking about the matter, West Bengal Health secretary Swaroop Nigam has informed the daily that the Commission has inspected the medical college at Jhargram on Tuesday and the government is expecting NMC permission for it as well.

Besides, the State Health officials have also informed that they have already initiated the process for appointing six professors, 20 associate professors and 26 assistant professors and 40 RMOs-cum-tutors in all of these six new medical colleges which are going to start admitting MBBS students this year. 

An official informed that the teachers have already been posted at the new medical colleges. Meanwhile, in order to deal with the shortage of teachers in the medical colleges, the government has redesignated the specialist medical officers, employed at the six hospitals where medical colleges are coming up, as assistant professors in their concerned disciplines. 

Apart from this, the government has also commenced the process for filling up the 244 vacancies in the medical colleges, including the non-medical posts.

Although the Apex medical body has granted the Letter of Intent, the medical colleges can only commence admission from this year when the Commission will issue the Letter of Permission (LOP). Expressing hope that the Commission would give its nod and issue the LOP as well, an official of the Health Department told the daily that NMC officials would take their decision only after checking the infrastructure and manpower along with the faculty.

As per the data provided by the Union Health Minister Mansukh Mandaviya, there are a total number of 27 medical colleges in West Bengal with a total intake capacity for 4225 MBBS seats. Among these 20 government medical colleges have a total number of 3225 seats and there are 1000 seats in 7 private medical colleges.

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