NMC Disapproval to Renewal of 150 to 250 MBBS seats at BK Shah Medical Institute, MCC issues notice on choice filling

New Delhi: The Medical Assessment and Rating Board (MARB) of the National Medical Commission (NMC) has recently issued disapproval of proposal for the 2nd batch 1st renewal of 150 to 250 MBBS seats at Smt. B.K.Shah Medical Institute & Research Centre, Sumandeep Vidyapeeth Campus, Vadodara, Gujarat for the academic year 2023-2024.

This comes after the Apex Medical Commission conducted a surprise inspection at the medical college last year and found several deficiencies regarding the teaching faculty, residents/tutors, additional faculty required for PG courses, bed occupancy etc.

In fact, the matter is now being considered by the Gujarat High Court and referring to this, the Medical Counselling Committee (MCC) has also issued a notice and advised the MBBS aspirants to make informed decisions in Round-3 of UG Counselling 2023 if they are planning to opt for the concerned medical college.

Through a notice dated 05.09.2023, MCC clarified that the admission of candidates to this institute beyond the approved intake by NMC of 150 MBBS seats will be subject to the final outcome of the pending matter before the Gujarat High Court in the case of SBKS Medical Institute and Research Centre Vs. National Medical Commission.

Along with the notice, MCC also attached the copy of NMC Disapproval of Proposal for 2nd Batch 1st Renewal of 150 to 250 MBBS seats for the academic year 2023-2024.

While the institute had requested permission for the renewal of 250 MBBS seats, writing to the Dean/Principal of the medical college NMC mentioned, "As per the records available with Medical Assessment and Rating Board of National Medical Commission, the College is operating with 250 MBBS seats during the Academic Year 2022-23."

NMC further referred to the surprise inspection conducted by MARB on 21st December 2022 to assess the availability of faculty and infrastructure facilities in the medical college. However, in the Assessor's report, the Commission referred to several deficiencies in the medical college.

There was a 6.2% deficiency of teaching faculty and a 10.5% deficiency of residents/tutors. Deficiencies were found in the additional faculty required for PG courses as well in specialities like General Medicine, Paediatrics, General Surgery, Orthopaedics. The report also referred to grossly inadequate bed occupancy with 31% deficiency and it also mentioned that the clinical data provided by the institute was much higher than the actual. There was no details regarding the construction and renovation work which is in progress at the hospital and no documents were provided in respect of MRI machine installed/owned by the hospital.

Referring to these deficiencies, a show cause notice was issued to the college on 01.02.2023. Further, based on the compliance report submitted by the College vide their letter dated 19.1.2023, NMC again conducted a Physical Compliance Verification Assessment of the College on 27th March, 2023.

The proposal of the College was put on hold since the case of the College was under consideration for Recognition in UGMEB and the same was also communicated to the College vide letter dated 06.4.2023. In the meantime, a complaint was received from the students of the College along with the supporting documents relating to infrastructure and availability of the faculty in the College.

Taking note of this, MARB decided to conduct a surprise random inspection of the College on 25.8.2023. The assessors submitted the report with their comments. As per the report,

College did not cooperated with the Assessment Team, the required information relating to infrastructure including Lecture Theatres, Central Library, Laboratories, patient facilities, clinical material, ICU, ICCU, NICU,SICU was not provided by the College authorities.

The report also mentioned that the availability of faculty including Resident Doctors was also not provided by the College authorities and the bed occupancy was about 40% and around 10% of the patients were not genuine.

It further claimed that even though the Assessors reached the college and met the Dean at 9:40 AM on 25.08.2023, the Dean even after agreeing to provide AEBAS attendance of all the staff on the day of inspection, did not provide the same till 2.00 P.M. The physical attendance of all the faculties and residents was provided at 12.10 AM.

The actual assessment started at 10.15 AM of the hospital and after conducting the assessment provided the following for consideration:

i) The distribution of patients was not according to their disease, e.g. patients of general surgery, orthopaedis and some medicine patients were kept in respective male/female medicine wards and some orthopaedic patients were kept in psychiatric wards. The reasons provided for the same was " construction work"

ii) The bed occupancy of the hospital was around 40%. The OPD census was not provided by the College and it was seemingly less than the requirement.

iii) The main OT complex (11 OTs) were untidy. The OT complex of Obs & Gynae OT was clear and tidy.

iv) The entry in IT register for the last 5 days of OBS/Gynae as well as the main OT complex were in the same handwriting meaning that it were manipulated entry. There was no entry of last 3 days in OBS/Gynae register. All these facts were acknowledged by the respective heads.

v) The number of cases entered in the OT register dated 24.8.2023 of General Surgery/Orthopaedics/ENT were 24/15/17 respectively which appears to be highly exaggerated. On physical verification of the operated patients, only 2-3 patients were found in each department. It was also brought to the notice of the head of concerned department.

vi) The Emergency Department consist of 19 beds only which is not as per the norms of the NMC.

vii) Many of the patient's case sheet were written and signed by junior residents only, not by the any senior residents.

viii) Around 10% of the patients were not genuine patients as they were admitted either for no illness or not being discharged deliberately.

(ix) At 2.30 PM the assessment team requested for physical verification of the faculties and residents but the Dean asked the Assessors to wait for some time. On requesting for certain specific details about the faculties, the College authority informed that they don't need any further assessment so no information could be given.

x) At 3.30 PM Dean asked the team to call off the assessment as it is not warranted by the Institute and provided a letter addressed to Member, MARB relating to non­compliance of further assessment.

xi) Assessors waited for more than 2-1/2 hours and thereafter the Dean of the College at around 7.00 PM handed over an acknowledgement letter for participation in the assessment as well as Non-compliance to the assessment process further.

xii) The overall cooperation from the College in conducting assessment was unsatisfactory in the beginning and later on become totally uncooperative and refused the sign any documents and handing over the videography of the various positions like OPD/IPD/Labs/Blood Bank etc.

Referring to the Assessor's report, NMC wrote to the college head and mentioned, "In view of the deficiencies pointed out by the assessors during the surprise random inspection of the College held on 25.8.2023 and also keeping in view the fact that the College did not cooperated with the assessment team, the proposal of the College seeking permission for renewal of 250 MBBS Seats, 2nd Batch (1St Renewal) for the Academic Year 2023-24 is disapproved. No further correspondence in this regard will be entertained by the MARB for the Academic Year 2023-24."

Referring to this memorandum from NMC regarding the disapproval of proposal for Renewal of 150 to 250 MBBS seats for this academic year MCC issued a notice on 05.09.2023 and mentioned, "The Medical Counselling Committee (MCC) of DGHS received Memorandum NMC/UGR/2023-24/049143-49 (Copy enclosed below) from NMC regarding disapproval of proposal for Renewal of 150 to 250 MBBS seats for the academic year 2023-24."

Clarifying that the admission to this institute beyond the intake of 150 MBBS seats will be decided by the final outcome of SBKS Medical Institute and Research Centre Vs. National Medical Commission before the Gujarat High Court, the notice further mentioned, "Admission of candidates beyond the approved intake by NMC of 150 MBBS seats at the concerned college will be subject to the final outcome of SCA No. 15192 of 2023, SBKS Medical Institute and Research Centre Vs. National Medical Commission in the High Court of Gujarat at Ahmedabad."

It has also been clarified by the counselling authority MCC that as per the directions of the Gujarat High Court, the willingness of all joined Round-1 & Round-2 candidates at Smt. B.K Shah Medical Institute & Research Centre will be taken as ‘YES’ by default.

"In view of the above and as per directions of Hon’ble High Court of Gujarat in SCA No. 15192 of 2023 SBKS Medical Institute and Research Centre Vs. National Medical Commission, the willingness of all joined Round-1 & Round-2 candidates at Smt. B.K Shah Medical Institute & Research Centre, Sumandeep Vidyapeeth Campus, Vadodara, Gujarat will be taken as ‘YES’ by default," stated the notice.

Therefore, MCC advised the MBBS aspirants to make informed decisions in Round-3 of UG Counselling 2023 if they are planning to choose Smt. B.K.Shah Medical Institute & Research Centre, Sumandeep Vidyapeeth Campus, Vadodara, Gujarat.

"Hence, candidates are advised to take informed decision to fill choices for upgradation in Round-3 of UG Counselling 2023," added the MCC notice.

To view the official Notice, Click here : https://medicaldialogues.in/pdf_upload/2023090520-218422.pdf

Also Read: NMC disapproval to recognition of 150 MBBS Seats at GMC Mahabubnagar