The Hindu : Karnataka News : Doubts over State starting medical colleges this year

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Friday, Jun 17, 2005

Karnataka

Karnataka

Doubts over State starting medical colleges this year

Special Correspondent

Increased intake only from next academic year: Minister

BANGALORE: Doubts have arisen on whether the Government will be able to set up at least three of the six medical colleges it has decided to establish in this academic year.

The Medical Council of India (MCI) might not approve the medical colleges in Raichur, Bidar and Shimoga. A team of the council visited the three districts last week to inspect infrastructure created or available there for the new medical colleges. It expressed its concern over the state of the infrastructure available for the colleges there, the Minister for Medical Education, Iqbal Ansari, told presspersons here on Thursday.

The MCI has rejected the application for a medical college in Shimoga as it was sent late. The Government will request the MCI team to reconsider the application and allow the college to function from the next academic year, Mr. Ansari said. The Government has decided to set up six new medical colleges in the State from this academic year with an intake capacity of 100 each.

Satisfaction

The Minister hoped the MCI would give its nod for starting three medical colleges from the coming year in Hassan, Mandya and Belgaum. The team expressed its satisfaction over the progress of work with regard to the institutions in these districts. "The colleges in Hassan, Mandya and Belgaum will commence functioning from this academic year and counselling will be held for admission."

Setback

In another setback to admission to MBBS course, Mr. Ansari said the Cabinet decision to increase medical seats from 400 to 600 in four government medical colleges — Bangalore Medical College, Mysore Medical College, Karnataka Institute of Medical Sciences, Hubli, and Vijayanagar Institute of Medical Sciences (VIMS), Bellary — would come into effect only from the next academic year (2006-07).

The number of seats has been increased subject to the MCI terms and conditions. But the MCI is unlikely to give its nod to increase the seats this academic year, he added.

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