Simultaneous DNB courses at Medical Colleges: Medical council of India rejects proposal

New Delhi: The recent meeting of  Post Graduate Committee of the Medical Council of India saw the council setting aside a proposal made by Sh. Devendra Fadnavis, Hon’ble Chief Minister, Maharashtra regarding flexible conditions for starting DNB courses in Government Medical Colleges. The proposal sought simultaneous running of DNB courses along with MD/MS courses in departments of government medical colleges against extra faculty, if available.

It is reported that a proposal to this effect was given by the Ministry of Health through a letter dated 08/03/2018 from Sh. Devendra Fadnavis, Hon’ble Chief Minister, Maharashtra. The Ministry then forwarded the proposal to MCI for perusal.

The proposal sought flexible conditions for starting DNB courses in Government Medical Colleges and the main suggestion was that DNB course should be permitted simultaneously with MD/MS in government medical colleges against extra faculty if available in the department.

After going through the proposal, the PG committee of the council outright rejected the same noting the following

The PG Committee discussed in detailed and observed that the requirement for PG seats is not only faculty but other facilities like number of units, number of beds and other infrastructure. If an institution has extra faculty and all these other facilities mentioned above, they can easily take more number of MD/MS seats rather than requesting for DNB. Hence the suggestion of simultaneously running both the courses (MD and MS/ DNB) in government medical colleges cannot be accepted.

The committee also noted that in light of the recent one-time increase in medical colleges without inspection that was awarded last year by the council, medical colleges would not have any extra faculties left

It will be pertinent to mention here that during the year 2017-18 and 2018-19 one time increase (without inspection) have been given to all government medical colleges across the country who has required faculty and other infrastructure and number of seats have been sanctioned in proportion to that. Hence, it is clear that no college is having extra facilities / faculty against which the DNB seats can be given simultaneously.