Wednesday, March 11, 2015

Suspense Over Admissions to ESIC Medical Colleges

KALABURAGI: There is a question mark over starting admissions to the first year MBBS course at ESIC medical colleges in Kalaburagi and Bengaluru in the coming academic year. For it is not yet clear whether the state government will take over these medical colleges after ESIC announced that it would exit the field of medical education from 2015-16 and would not undertake further admissions.

Sources in the State Medical Education Department told Express that the department had prepared a proposal on taking over the colleges and that it was with the Finance Department. The government could take a decision only after getting consent from the Finance Department.

Not just the students and faculty, even ESIC is concerned over the issue. A K Agarwal, Director General of ESIC, wrote to Reena Nayyar, secretary in-charge of Medical Council of India, on February 20 stating that the students and faculty of ESIC medical colleges have expressed concern over whether the course would be recognised if admissions were not undertaken.

The letter confirmed that ESIC was exiting the field of medical education and wanted to hand over medical colleges and other medical education institutions having separate infrastructure to state governments willing for such a transfer.

It stated that ESIC would not undertake further admissions and all ongoing medical education programmes would continue till the admitted students pass out or are adjusted as per the provisions of the Essentiality Certificate by the state government, whichever is earlier.

The letter stated that ESIC was running medical colleges in Bengaluru, Kalaburagi, KK Nagar (Chennai) and Joka (Kolkata).

Medical Council of India conducts year-wise inspections for renewal of MBBS batches after grant of letter of permission (LoP) and for the recognition of the college. This permission after grant of LoP is given each year after the applicant colleges fulfil the norms of faculty, infrastructure and equipment during the inspection.

Agarwal’s letter stated, “It is our understanding that after the approval of the scheme of renewal of MBBS batches, the college is at liberty to undertake or not undertake admissions...the recognition of MBBS course would not be jeopardised, irrespective of whether the actual yearly admissions have been undertaken or not.” However, ESIC has sought clarification from MCI on this issue. As per these norms, an MCI team inspected the ESIC medical colleges at Kalaburagi and Bengaluru last week. Dr Chandrashekhar, principal, ESIC Medical College, Kalaburagi, confirmed the MCI visit to the college on March 4. He said the team had pointed out that there was a shortage of teaching faculty by 31 per cent. He said ESIC would hold interviews to fill up the vacancies in faculty in Kalaburagi and Bengaluru Medical Colleges in Bengaluru, between March 16 and 18.

Asked if ESIC had reversed its stand on handing over medical colleges to the state government, Dr Chandrashekhar said he has not received any communication from ESIC other than asking him not to start the admission process for MBBS first year course for the year 2015-16.

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