The Hindu : New Delhi News : MCI decision puts students' future in jeopardy

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Sunday, Apr 04, 2004

New Delhi

New Delhi

MCI decision puts students' future in jeopardy

By Bindu Shajan Perappadan

NEW DELHI, APRIL 3. As things stand now, the future of 76 medical postgraduate seats offered by various hospitals across the Capital hangs in the balance following a new Medical Council of India guideline stating that non-specialist teaching postgraduate students are not adequately equipped for the job and hence the courses they teach stand de-recognised by Delhi University.

The guideline that is applicable to non-teaching colleges has put a question mark over the future of these seats in the Dr. Ram Manohar Lohia, Safdarjung, Bara Hindu Rao, Kasturba Gandhi and St. Stephen's hospitals. The Army Hospital, which also comes under the category of non-teaching hospitals, has, however, been exempted.

With Delhi University and the Medical Council of India still not arriving at a decision on recognition of these courses, time is also running out with counselling for the all-India quota for postgraduate students already underway. The affected courses include -- Masters in Medicine, Masters in Surgery, and various speciality diploma courses.

And while the colleges are hoping that things will speed up in time to save these seats, the guilty party they claim is the Medical Council of India which passed the order without taking the colleges into confidence.

"The colleges have been conducting these courses for the past 40 years and through these we have not only managed to provide quality education but also improve patient care through the research programme that are underway at the hospital. Also, the courses were not facing any particular problem and have been taken off without any prior information to the authorities,'' explained the Medical Superintendent of Ram Manohar Lohia Hospital, N.K. Chaturvedi.

He added: "The Medical Council of India team did not conduct a proper inspection and cancelled the courses without taking the college authorities into confidence. They have reduced the seats without realising the effect it would have on the students. We have prepared a proposal for Delhi University informing them that the hospital was ready to add to the existing strength of seats and upgrade its facilities so that it can look into the possibility of reconsidering its decision."

The colleges are clearly not in a mood to give up just yet and have approached Guru Govind Singh Indraprastha University for recognition of the courses. "Taking note of the situation, the health secretary had approached Guru Govind Singh Indraprastha University for affiliation which has been granted in principle,'' said Dr. Chaturvedi.

Meanwhile, speaking about the situation that the colleges have found themselves in, the Pro-Vice-Chancellor of Delhi University, C.R. Babu, said: "Delhi University would consider granting recognition to the courses under certain conditions -- for one, the Medical Council of India should withdraw the rule issued which asks for de-recognising of courses and it should also ensure that there would be no legal hurdle in filling up the seats.''

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