NMC Denies Approval to Four New Medical Colleges in Karnataka

With NMC turning down the approval, it seems that the new medical colleges in Chikkamagaluru, Haveri, Yadgir and Chikkaballapur wouldn't be able to start functioning from 2021-2022.

The 'No' from NMC comes after recently, a team of the apex medical body had inspected the colleges and expressed its objection to the lack of infrastructure including the scarcity of buildings, staff etc. In fact, NMC has also objected to initiating operations from a private building, reports TOI.

The Delhi team had inspected the colleges back in August 2021. Later, a video conference was also held in October with the heads of the medical colleges for reviewing the progress. In the first week of November, NMC in an official communication, turned down the approval request for MBBS admission in all the four medical colleges.

Currently, Karnataka has the highest number of medical colleges in the State. In 60 medical colleges of Karnataka, the intake capacity for MBBS admission is in 9345 MBBS seats, revealed the data provided by MoS Health Dr. Bharati Pravin Pawar. Among these, 2900 MBBS seats belong to the Government run medical colleges, whereas 6445 MBBS seats are in the Private Medical Colleges of the State.

Also Read: Karnataka Private Medical Colleges seek 20 percent MBBS fee hike, Govt to take decision

As per the latest media report by the Times of India, the State Government was expecting 150 MBBS seats in each of these medical colleges for the 2021-2022 academic year.

While commenting on the NMC refusal for MBBS admission, a source in the medical education department told TOI, "If not for the pandemic, we would have completed the process of appointing staff in all four colleges."

"Construction work also took a beating because of the pandemic. However, it's now taking place at a fast pace in Chikkaballapur and Chikkamagaluru," the official further added.

Adding that NMC may give approval later, the official told the daily, "However, in the past, some colleges that received communication denying approval were given the goahead by the end of the mopup round of UG medical counseling."

"The recruitment process is likely to be over by December, and we will once again approach the NMC. If staff recruitment is complete and the required equipment, hostel and other infrastructure are in place, the NMC may approve two of the four colleges this year," added the source.

Meanwhile, speaking to TOI regarding the issue, Dr Jayakara SM, vice chancellor, Rajiv Gandhi University of Health Sciences, said, "We are confident the seats in Chikkamagaluru and Chikkaballapur will be approved since most staff have been recruited." In that case, another 300 MBBS seats would be added to the State.

Mentioning that earlier the state had requested for renewal of approval in Atal Bihari Vajpayee Medical College and Research Institute, by pointing out the need for better doctor-patient ratio in Karnataka, the sources informed the daily, "NMC looks at three primary factors while considering approval: The college must have the required infrastructure, faculty and a medical college hospital. In all the four new medical colleges, these factors are in the preliminary stage as all work was halted during the pandemic."

Referring to the Government's alternative arrangements for initiating MBBS course in the nearby district hospitals, the officials added, "In Chikkamagaluru, the land allocated for the college was in a forest area and it required clearances from the forest department. In Yadgir, construction began in January and that may take some more time."