NMC flags 'fake patient' during inspection, HC stays Santiniketan Medical College PG course

Bolpur: Noting that a fake patient was kept at Santiniketan Medical College and Hospital without any proper case history to show higher patient numbers for recognition from the National Medical Commission (NMC) to start postgraduate courses, the Calcutta High Court ordered a stay on the commencement of the PG courses and compared the situation to a 'Munna Bhai MBBS scenario.'

While hearing the plea, Single Bench Judge Justice Ritabrata Kumar Mitra directed the National Medical Commission (NMC) to send a delegation to inspect the matter within three days after being informed that the irregularity was detected during an inspection at the hospital in Bolpur.

During the hearing, the NMC informed the court that the medical college does not have the required infrastructure to start postgraduate courses. As per norms, at least 15 professors and doctors are required to run five departments. However, when the NMC inspection team visited the hospital, they reportedly found only three faculty members.

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The Shantiniketan Medical College and Hospital was established as a private facility in Bolpur in 2021, and initiatives were taken to start postgraduate studies in 16 subjects. Accordingly, permission was sought from the NMC, which refused to grant. The authorities approached the high court on the issue in 2025.

In its affidavit before the court, the NMC further stated that a “fake” patient was kept in a hospital bed without any proper medical records or case history, reports ETV Bharat.

In response, the court said that it looks like a typical Munna Bhai MBBS case and ordered a stay on the start of postgraduate courses.

Reacting to the court order, the medical college director, Malay Pith, said, "I have not yet received a copy of the full verdict. But I will say that I went to do something good. It would have been better for everyone in this district. What we have done in just five years, the rest of the medical colleges cound't. Later, we will try again to start PG courses."

To start postgraduate (PG) medical courses, the National Medical Commission mandates that a medical college must meet strict minimum standard requirements under the Revised PG Minimum Standard Requirements (PGMSR-2023).

These include adequate physical infrastructure (such as hospital building conforming to norms, functional departments, ICU/HDU beds), sufficient full-time faculty and staff, and proper clinical material with high bed occupancy and real patient load. The college must also have modern equipment, laboratories, imaging facilities, teaching rooms, and digital records for OPD/IPD services. Importantly, an institute must satisfy all norms on bed occupancy, faculty strength, and facilities before the NMC grants permission to start PG courses.

For now, the start of postgraduate courses at the medical college remains on hold, pending further inspection and review.

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