MCI (Medical Council of India) has approved to increase the seats of MBBS (Bachelor of Medicine and Bachelor of Surgery) in two of the Government Medical Colleges in Amritsar and Patiala.
50 more seats have been approved by MCI to be increased for MBBS for the 2019-20 session.
Though, this is not the first time the MCI is increasing number of seats. Earlier the MCI had increased 50 seats for the similar colleges. The seats were raised from 150-200 for the session 2014-15.
However, in February this year, the MCI inspection team in its 5-year review had found discrepancies including the staff storage. The MCI team in its inspection had then pointed the shortage of 5 professors in Patiala and 32 in Amritsar as a major discrepancy to run the medical college. These colleges were asked to submit the compliance report.
Though, now the MCI again approved the extended seats after the compliance verification assessment reports were submitted by the Government Medical College of Amritsar and Patiala.
Before giving permission to medical colleges for retaining their seats the MCI besides considering the Compliance Verification Report had also taken into consideration the observation of member of the Undergraduate Expert Group, who was appointed by the MCI Board of Governors. The MCI also took an undertaking from the Additional Chief Secretary (Health) Satish Chandra in May last this year before giving the nod.
Notably, the state government had recently promoted some assistant professors to the rank of professors in order to fill the vacancies.
The decision to give nod has come two days after Punjab Government promoted 41 Punjab Civil Medical Services (PCMS) doctors to the post of Assistant Professor that helped overcome a staff shortage.
The Additional Chief Secretary of Heath Satish Chandra said, that the state government had already completed the recruitment process under the promotion quota, while the interviews for direct-quota was still underway.
Notably, the Punjab Civil Medical Services (PCMS) doctors association and Punjab State Medical and Teachers Association working in Punjab had raised their voice against the Punjab government for the untimely delay in promotions that are pending for along time and demanded to abolish the filing of posts of Professors and Associate Professors under direct quota and fill the same under promotion quota.