10 CPS courses to restart in Maharashtra
Mumbai: After last year's controversy, the Maharashtra Government has allowed 10 out of 26 College of Physicians and Surgeons (CPS) courses, which were earlier de-recognised, to restart.
The state government consulted with the state medical council and announced amendments to the Maharashtra Medical Council Act, 1965. The 10 courses that have received the State's permission to restart include fellowship courses in dermatology, midwifery and gynaecology, gynaecology, pathology, surgery, medicine, ophthalmology and diploma courses in gynaecology and obstetrics, pathology and bacteriology, and child health, according to the gazette notification dated March 15.
Last year, the Maharashtra Government de-recognised the CPS courses and asked the medical institutes and hospitals not to admit students for any of the 26 diplomas or fellowships offered by CPS, Mumbai. However, the State had clarified that the candidates who had already been admitted to these PG courses before notification would not be affected by this.
Also Read: Dr Ajay Devidasrao Sambre takes over as new CPS Mumbai president
Now, the State Medical Education Department has issued a gazette notification on March 15 reintroducing the 10 said courses.
Speaking to Times of India, the President of CPS, Dr Ajay Sambre welcomed the move and said that these 10 courses have recognition from the Central Government, under the National Medical Commission Act 2019.
He told the Daily, "We are glad the government has allowed us to restart them in the state. We hope the admission process for these courses starts soon." The CPS President further added that approximately 1,500 students could get admitted to PG courses if the backlog for 2022 and 2023 gets cleared.
As per the latest media report by Hindustan Times, the State took the decision to restart CPS courses after the newly appointed CPS committee held a meeting with the medical education secretary on March 11.
The CPS Controversy:
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 are allowed to register themselves as specialists in the concerned speciality.
CPS courses have been facing major controversies for a long time. Medical Dialogues had earlier reported that referring to significant gaps in the standards or institutes offering CPS courses, the medical education department of Maharashtra previously 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. In fact, the Central Government has also set up an eight-member committee to look into the matter.
The controversy continued further and recently the Postgraduate Medical Education Board (PGMEB) of the National Medical Commission (NMC) recommended to the Union Health Ministry to withdraw the popular DPB- Diploma in Pathology and Bacteriology, DCH - Diploma in Child Health and DGO- Diploma Gynecology and Obstetrics courses run by CPS from the next academic year.
After NMC, the National Board of Examinations (NBE) also offered rejection to the CPS courses by refusing to bring them under the aegis of the NBE. At this outset, States including Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, Odisha, and Karnataka were reportedly considering decreasing the intake for the CPS courses or discontinuing them.
Last year, the Maharashtra Government then de-recognised the courses offered by CPS and asked the medical institutes and hospitals not to admit students for any of the 26 diplomas or fellowships offered by CPS, Mumbai.
Ultimately the matter reached the Court and filing a plea, CPS argued that 10 courses which were recognised under NMC Act 2019 cannot be de-recognised by the State. Thereafter, in December 2023, the State filed an affidavit in the Bombay HC and stated that it would review its decision.
Also Read: Maharashtra derecognises College of Physicians and Surgeons courses
