GMC Washim gets Centre's nod for 100 MBBS seats, NMC told to issue LoP

New Delhi: Bringing good news to the medical aspirants in Maharashtra, the Union Health Ministry has permitted Government Medical College Washim to start MBBS admission to 100 seats for the academic year 2024-2025.

Even though the National Medical Commission (NMC) had denied giving its nod to this medical college to start MBBS admissions, the institute filed a 2nd appeal before the Union Health Ministry, under the NMC Act 2019. Accordingly, the Ministry has approved the application.

"The documents and submissions made by the appellant have been considered by the Central Government. The Central Government after due examination has decided to direct National Medical Commission to issue Letter of Permission to Government Medical College, Washim, Maharashtra for starting with 100 MBBS seats for academic year 2024-25," the Deputy Secretary to the Union Health Ministry mentioned in the order dated 30.09.2024.

However, the Ministry has clarified in the order that NMC may withdraw the permission if at any stage during inspections, the Commission finds that the College is deficient in availability of faculty, infrastructure etc.

The order also includes a timeline of the application made by the college, the rejection of the application first by the Medical Assessment and Rating Board (MARB) and then the National Medical Commission (NMC), the filing of the 2nd Appeal before the Ministry and the decision of the Ministry.

After receiving the application from GMC Washim, Maharashtra, MARB issued a show cause notice through the letter dated 03/04/2024 on the application submitted by the college pointing out that the college did not furnish information regarding means of financing project, project cost, building program, planning and layout, building expansion program, educational program, upgraded medical program, upgraded functional program, equipment program (room wise list of equipment complete with year wise schedule of quantities and specifications), Upgraded Program(category distribution of), phasing and scheduling (month wise schedule of activities indicating), Phasing and Scheduling of the expansion of scheme(month wise schedule of activities indicating), Revenue assumptions, Expenditure assumptions, Operating results, Details about up gradation or addition in the capacity and configuration of engineering services and hospital services etc.

MARB also recorded inadequate response regarding bank guarantees, noting that it should be furnished after the issue of the LOI, if not submitted. The institute also did not mention about bed strength as per UG-MSR 2023. Regarding the Manpower program, MARB noted that the institute need to be registered in AEBAS within 10 days from the date of issue of the show case.

Consequently, the Institute submitted the compliance report through the letter dated 08/04/2024 providing the clarifications in respect of the deficiencies pointed out by MARB, NMC.

However, MARB issued a letter of disapproval on 04/07/2024 for the establishment of new medical college with annual intake of 100 MBBS seats for the academic year 2024-2025.

As per MARB, the Board along with the group of experts and review committee reviewed the Standard Assessment Form (SAF), based on the MARB regulations 2023 published on 2nd June, 2023, and UG-MSR 2023 issued on 16th August, 2023 and observed that parameters such as functional essential equipment of respective discipline/Departments as per the relevant UG MSR UG-Medical Education Regulation 2023 issued on 16.08.2023, blood component etc were not available.

Further, MARB noted that on the day of the assessment, none of the faculties including Professors, Associate/Assistant Professors, Tutors, Senior Residents were registered on AEBAS. It also recorded deficiency in the clinical material citing only 41% bed occupancy. The experts also remarked that the number of faculty including the principal was not available, clinical material was inadequate and college building was not ready.

In its report, the Committee remarked that it reviewed the SAF and Scrutiny form of Expert and all relevant parameters were found not satisfactory so decided to disapprove the establishment of a new medical college/ institution on 28.06.2024. Accordingly, MARB decided to issue the Letter of Disapproval for the academic year 2024-2025, as per sec 28(3) proviso of the NMC Act, 2019.

Following this, the college filed the first appeal before NMC, which disposed of the appeal on 07.08.2024 and upheld the order of MARB. The Commission pointed out that gross faculty deficiency remained, the Dean/Principal submitted no Professor or Associate Professor were available for the medical college, only 6 Assistant Professors, 24 Tutors, and 17 SRs were present, and AEBAS registration was still not done.

Challenging the NMC's decision, the college filed a 2nd Appeal before the Health Ministry under Section 28(6) of the NMC Act, which states, "The Commission shall decide the appeal received under sub-section (5) within a period of forty-five days from the date of receipt of the appeal and in case the Commission approves the scheme, such approval shall be the permission under subsection (1) to establish a new medical college and in case the Commission disapproves the scheme, orfails to give its decision within the specified period, the person concerned may prefer a second appeal to the Central Government within thirty days of communication ofsuch disapproval or, as the case may be, lapse ofspecified period."

During the in-person hearing of the 2nd appeal, the College informed before the Ministry Committee that at present there are 18 faculty (Prof - 2, Assoc. Prof. - 2, Assist. Prof. - 14), 27 Residents and 24 Tutor/Demonstrator are available in the College and these available faculty has been registered on AEBAS.

Further, the college informed that the Maharashtra Government was taking all necessary steps for the recruitment of teaching staff through Maharashtra Public Service Commission (MPSC), transfers, contractual appointments and by promotions.

The College also submitted that all major equipment required for patient care were available and procurement of instruments for pre and para-clinical subjects were under process. The State Government official also assured that during the the meeting that the recruitment process will be completed expeditiously and the faculty as per norms of NMC will be made available before start of Academic Session 2024-25. In this regard, the the Maharashtra Government gave an undertaking/affidavit dated 20/08/2024.

Apart from this, the Committee noted that the hospital was already running in the district and therefore, the clinical material will further increase with the appointment of new faculty. As per MSR 2020 the requirement of faculty and SR/Tutor for 100 seats is 88 (50 faculty and 38 SR/ Tutor) against which the College already has 18 faculty (Prof - 2, Assoc. Prof. - 2, Assist. Prof. - 14) and 51 Residents/Tutors) and the process of recruitment of faculty is underway, noted the Committee.

The Committee also observed that as per MSR 2020, the College requires an average OPD/ day of 400 for LoP and 800 for recognition of 100 seats. The College has submitted that the average daily OPD attendance of the teaching hospital is 1200 with average bed occupancy of 88%. The college also submitted documents and records in support and justification for their plea for meeting the Minimum Standards laid down by the NMC.

Further, the Committee opined that if the NMC carries out inspections of the college at any stage and finds that the college is deficient in availability of faculty, infrastructure etc., the permission for starting the college may be withdrawn by NMC.

Taking all these aspects into account, the Ministry disposed of the 2nd appeal application by granting permission to GMC Washim to start MBBS Admission in 100 MBBS seats.

To view the document, click on the link below:

https://medicaldialogues.in/pdf_upload/ministry-2nd-appeal-254934.pdf

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