NMC tells Health Ministry to derecognise 3 popular CPS Diploma courses, details

New Delhi: Amid the ongoing controversy regarding the medical courses run by College of Physicians and Surgeons (CPS), Mumbai, the Post Graduate Medical Education Board (PGMEB) of the National Medical Commission (NMC) has recommended to the Union Health Ministry for de-recognition of the courses.

Writing to the Under Secretary of the Union Health Ministry, NMC PG medical education board has recommended that the popular DPB- Diploma in Pathology and Bacteriology, DCH - Diploma in Child Health and DGO- Diploma Gynecology and Obstetrics courses run by CPS should be withdrawn from the next academic year.

This recommendation has been given by the NMC Board after discussing the issue meeting held on 12.04.2023.

NMC PG Board has expressed its disagreement with the Ministry for providing equivalence to the CPS courses and pointed out that such courses do not come under the purview of NMC.

Referring to the Ministry letter dated 31.03.2023 in this regard, NMC mentioned, "It is informed that the matter was discussed in the Post Graduation Medical Education Board Meeting held on 12.04.2023 wherein it was decided that the courses run by CPS, Mumbai does not come under the monitoring control of the National Medical Commission. Therefore, PGMEB does not agree for providing equivalence to courses of 466 students recognised by the MoHFW vide its letter dated 18.10.2022."

"Further, PGMEB also recommends that the 3 Diploma courses (DPB, DCH and DGO) for which equivalence has been given vide MoHFW vide letter dated 30.04.2021 should also be withdrawn from next academic year," added the letter dated 13.04.2023.

"This issues with the approval of Competent Authority," stated the letter by Rita Singh, Under Secretary PGMEB.

While NMC has recommended for de-recognition of CPS courses, the president of CPS, Dr. Girish Maindarkar has insisted that the circular was not a de-recognition letter, adds Hindustan Times.

"It is a recommendation by the NMC to the government. Students should not unnecessarily get panicky," Dr. Maindarkar told the daily.

He further mention d that they were now waiting for the medical education department's order giving them a date to meet.

Established in 1912, CPS Mumbai is an autonomous body that imparts Postgraduate medical education and offers fellowship, diploma, and certificate courses for medical professionals. For the Diploma courses, the tenure is two years; in case of Fellowship, the tenure is three years. After obtaining the qualification granted by CPS Mumbai, the practitioners become allowed to register themselves as specialists in the concerned specialty.

The controversy regarding CPS admissions in Maharashtra commenced after referring to significant gaps in the standards of institutes offering College of Physicians and Surgeons (CPS) affiliated courses, the medical education department of Maharashtra recently wrote to the Union Health Ministry asking for its opinion on whether counselling can be conducted for around 1,100 CPS seats.

Writing to the Centre, the department referred to the inspection of the Maharashtra Medical Council conducted last year and how during the inspection, MMC had found "severe deficiencies" in several institutes.

Recently Union Minister Nitin Gadkari supported the Association of CPS Affiliated Institutes and writing to the State Secretary, Gadkari pointed out that in case of any further delays in the admission process of 2022, the association has expressed fear that the State could lose altogether 1,100 CPS seats.

However, the State Medical Education Department did not change its decision and sent a show-cause notice to the CPS management and demanded an explanation regarding the deficiencies found in its affiliated institutes by March 21. Meanwhile, CPS approached the Bombay HC bench and filed a plea in this regard seeking to restart the admission process.

Taking cognisance of the letter by Maharashtra Medical Education Department, the Central Government had earlier set up an eight-member committee to look into the matter.

Meanwhile, in a recent judgment, the Bombay HC bench declines to interfere with the show-cause notice issued to CPS by Maharashtra State Medical Education Department as the bench clarified that the College of Physicians and Surgeons need to show that the courses are working as planned.