Overruling MCI, SC allows 26 new medical colleges
This is probably not a good time to be the Medical Council of India (MCI). In what is seen as an embarrassment to the organization, a panel appointed by the Supreme Court overruled its decision that denied permission for 86 new medical colleges in the academic session starting September 30.
The panel, in fact was appointed to monitor the MCI’s functioning and has for its head former Chief Justice of India, RM Lodha. After reviewing the MCI’s rejections, the panel has now allowed 26 new colleges from the 86 that were reviewed. The panel’s recommendations were sent to the Health Ministry yesterday. The new colleges could be a welcome addition to the existing 400 in a country starved for MBBS seats.
Some of the newly approved establishments are Ananta Institute of Medical Sciences, Rajastan; Saraswati Medical College,UP; NIMRA Institute of Medical Sciences, Andhra Pradesh; Sri Sakshi Medical College, Madhya Pradesh; Kerala Medical College; World College of Medical Sciences, Jhajjar, Haryana; Local Medical College, Saharanpur; NC Medical College, Panipat, Haryana and Prasad Institute of Medical Sciences, Lucknow.
Blanket rejection of new medical colleges is not to be encouraged as per sources and apparently, this isn’t the first time that MCI’s rejections (based on multiple grounds) are revised by the Supreme Court.
Special panel appointed after the blanket ban
Once the 86 applications were rejected by the MCI, an oversight panel(OC) was appointed by the SC. Aside from ex-CJI Lodha, the OC is comprised of former CAG Vinod Rai and also SK Sarin- the liver expert of repute. The OC asked the applicants to apply anew between June 15 and 22. As per a statement made by a Health Ministry source to the media, 39 applications from institutes that promised compliance by September 30(which is when the new session starts) were received by the OC. Out of these, the panel gave the green signal to the 26.
However, the approvals come with three strings attached:
1.All the approved institutes must provide an undertaking to the MCI to the effect that when the new session begins on September 30, they will not remain deficient
2.Bank guarantees worth Rs. 2 Crore must be given to the MCI by each institute
3. To verify if these institutes function according to norms, the right to inspect the colleges before or after September 30 is reserved by the OC
According to a Ministry official, in the event that the OC is dissatisfied, it can debar the new colleges from granting admission for two subsequent years. In fact, such is the practice that the SC has followed when it comes to approving new colleges.
The newly approved colleges will receive letters of permission for new campuses from MCI only after undertakings from state governments are submitted that deficiencies will be removed in time for the new MBBS students to join on September 30. It’s routine with state governments to give similar undertakings seeking MCI clearances for medical institutions run by the state.
Image credits: The Hindu