‘PG Medical Regulations 2021 may reduce Guj seats by 30%’

‘PG Medical Regulations 2021 may reduce Guj seats by 30%’

Experts Say Similar Situation Likely In Other States

Bharat.Yagnik@timesgroup.com

Ahmedabad:3.8.2021

The draft Postgraduate Medical Regulations, 2021 may lead to a sharp decline of more than 30% in PG medical seats in Gujarat, warned experts in the medical education field. A similar situation is likely to be created in other states of the country, they said.

“There are a total of 1,874 PG medical seats in the state. If the new rules that are proposed in the draft are implemented Gujarat will see a decline of about 600-700 seats,” said two experts in the know of the matter. The maximum intake of postgraduate students in specialities where units are prescribed shall not exceed three PG seats per unit per academic year, according to clause 16.2 in the draft regulations. Presently, there are six seats per unit per academic year.

“A unit consists of one professor, one assistant professor and an associate professor. While three seats are earmarked for the professor, two are for assistant professor and one seat is marked for one associate professor. There is a cap of six seats per unit. The proposed draft aims to change this by limiting the seats to three per unit,” said one of the two experts.

He said that at a time when the government is planning to increase the number of seats for PG medical students, the new set of rules could put the government’s ambitious plans off track.

“The institute can have any number of units to meet the needs of the workload. But only the minimum number of units required as per the Minimum Standard Requirements for annual MBBS admissions Regulations, 2020 of the NMC shall be taken into account to calculate the number of postgraduate seats to be sanctioned,” according to clause 16.6 of the draft. The draft also proposes to change the criteria for professors in three-year PG courses. This could further impact the student teacher ratio, said experts.

‘Draft could impact student-teacher ratio’

The draft also proposes to change the criteria for professors in three-year PG courses. This could further impact the student-teacher ratio, said experts. So far, assistant professors were required to have four year of work experience to qualify for the post of professors.

“The draft aims to change this to five years and also have two eligible research publications in the past three years as professor,” said an expert.

The draft has been opposed by many states who are of the view that if the proposal sees light of the day in its current form, the power of the state would be undermined.

The experts had red flagged a provision of the draft PG regulations aimed to centralise and designate the Directorate General of Health Services, Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, Government of India as the designated authority for counselling for state quota seats.

The maximum intake of postgraduate students in specialities where units are prescribed shall not exceed three PG seats per unit per academic year, according to clause 16.2 in the draft regulations. Presently, there are six seats per unit per academic year