PGIMER to send detailed proposal for MBBS course to Health Ministry

Chandigarh: Taking another step towards the realization of the plans of commencing MBBS course at the Post Graduate Institute of Medical Education and Research (PGIMER), the institute has decided to sent a detailed proposal regarding this to the Union Health Ministry.

The plan of initiating MBBS admission in 100 seats at the Sarangpur centre of the institute has been discussed by the standing finance committee of PGIMER on Friday, adds HT.

This comes after recently after discussing the matter with the director of the institute, Professor Dr Vivek Lal, the Union Health Minister Mansukh Mandaviya gave his nod for the plan.

Established back in 1962, PGIMER is an 'Institute of National Importance' and it mainly provides PG medical degrees in almost all disciplines of medicine. However, it has MBBS students in 92 MBBS seats in the general category at the Government Medical College and Hospital (GMCH) in Sector 32.

Medical Dialogues had recently reported that in a first, PGIMER was considering to commence admission in MBBS course with intake capacity of 100 students initially.

Also Read: PGIMER to foray into MBBS course, looks to add 100 seats

Although commencing an MBBS course had been a vision of most of the former directors of PGIMER, it could never see the light of the day. Last month, Prof Dr Vivek Lal took charge of the institute and discussed the plan of initiating the MBBS course with the Union Health Minister, who gave his nod regarding this.

The decision is expected to bring respite to lakhs of applicants going in for the only 92 MBBS seats in general category available in the city. With the latest approval there will be another medical college in the city. It would also bring excitement among the MBBS aspirants as PGIMER is one of the top institutes for post graduation education, is now foraying into MBBS.

As per the latest media report by Hindustan Times, these 100 MBBS seats will be added at the Sarangpur Centre of the Institute and regarding this, the director of the institute, Dr. Vivek Lal has opined that the course will help manage the patient load. Besides, it will also help to deal with the scarcity of resident doctors at the institute.

While commenting on the matter, deputy director (administration) of PGIMER, Kumar Gaurav Dhawan said, "Union health secretary Rajesh Bhushan and the Union health ministry have shown interest in starting MBBS at PGIMER. A 10-member committee of senior doctors has been constituted by the PGIMER director to prepare a proposal. The plan will then be discussed in the education committee meeting and sent to the Union health ministry for consideration."

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