NMC nod to 4 more MD Psychiatry seats in GMC Srinagar
Srinagar: Bringing good news to the Postgraduate medical aspirants seeking to pursue Psychiatry, the National Medical Commission (NMC) has given its nod for increasing four MD Psychiatry seats in Government Medical College Srinagar.
With this, the total number of MD Psychiatry seats at the medical college will go to up twelve from eight. Admission in these new seats would commence from the academic year 2022-2023.
The nod from the Medical Assessment and Rating Board (MARB) of NMC comes after MARB submitted the report regarding the faculty, their experience, publication and other infrastructure facilities available at the medical college, adds Greater Kashmir.
The Department of Psychiatry was founded in the GMC Srinagar back in the 1970s. Later this mental health facility got converted into Government Psychiatric Diseases Hospital, an associated hospital of the Govt. Medical College, Srinagar. The Govt. Psychiatric Diseases Hospital had a 100 bedded "Institute of Mental health & Neurosciences (IMHANS)" at Rainawari, Srinagar and a 30 bedded "Community General Hospital Unit'' located within SMHS premises.
It was selected for up-gradation under NMHP in 2009 to Institute of Mental Health & Neurosciences (IMHANS). It is considered as one of the finest psychiatric facilities in India because of its contributions to research, manpower production, and service to mental health that had been acknowledged by the Supreme Court-monitored committee and NHRC.
The Psychiatry department of the medical college has both in-patient and out-patient care to cater to people suffering from mental health issues including substance use disorders (24×7).
As per the latest media report by Greater Kashmir, confirming about the NMC approval for four more MD Psychiatry seats at the medical college, the President of MARB said, "It is to inform that Medical Assessment and Rating Board has reviewed the assessor's report on July 16 regarding the faculty, their experience, publication, and other teaching facilities including infrastructure available at GMC Srinagar under the University of Kashmir, for an increase of seats in MD (Psychiatry) for the academic year 2022-23."
In this regard, NMC the Apex medical body has directed the GMC for providing all infrastructural facilities regarding teaching and non-teaching staff, buildings, equipment, and hospital facilities in compliance with the NMC norms.
The letter of Intent issued by MARB in this regard mentioned, "No student should be admitted to the course till the formal permission of MARB."
Besides, the Letter of Intent also clarified that the medical colleges governed by the State Government need to furnish an undertaking signed by the government authority for providing funds in their budget until the facilities are fully available as per time bound programme indicated by them.
"The private medical college should provide a bank guarantee of the required amount against the increase of four seats in favour of NMC, New Delhi valid for three years or till the course is recognised, whichever is later, from a nationalized and scheduled bank as per the NMC and MCI's norms," read the letter.
Apart from this, NMC also clarified that the medical colleges or institutes would provide an undertaking for implementing the decision regarding the payment of stipends to the PG students similar to PG students of GMCs in their State.
The letter further stated that "The MARB reserves the right to withdraw, cancel, revoke the letter of intent or letter of permission if it comes to the notice that the permission has been obtained from MARB by misrepresentation of fact or fraud."
The NMC board also mentioned that the information related to admission should be submitted by the medical college within the specified time frame. It added, "Any failure to submit the information within this time limit would be construed that the admission in the college was not following the statutory requirements, thereby enabling the commission to proceed following the law against the college. Action to grant formal permission of the MARB for an increase in intake of the said course at your college will be initiated on receipt of appropriate bank guarantee, if applicable and undertaking or compliance letter fulfilling the conditions."
Directing the medical college to send and acceptance letter within a week, the NMC board has further mentioned, "You may otherwise opt to follow section 28 (3) (5) (6) of NMC Act, 2019 to enable MARB to issue a letter of permission for the academic year 2022-23."
The Psychiatry department of the GMC is one of the finest in the country as it offers such a wide range of facilities in mental health for helping to make best clinicians in psychiatry.
The research institute is recognised by the erstwhile Medical Council of India (MCI), now NMC. It also offers two weeks of clinical posting for MBBS internship students, psychology students of Amity and other universities, students of IGNOU and the University of Kashmir, clinical and theory classes for B Sc Nursing, M Sc Nursing (Psychiatry) students, M A Psychology, M A Sociology students from various institutions including SKIMS and the University of Kashmir.
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