Karnataka - Shimoga   

Question mark over Shimoga government medical college

Pramod Mellegatti

The college does not figure in the list of places to be inspected by MCI

PENDING WORK: The government medical college in Shimoga is still under construction.

SHIMOGA: The statement of Medical Education Minister Iqbal Anasari that the Medical Council of India (MCI) is likely to depute its team in February end or March to inspect infrastructure at the new medical colleges in five places has cast uncertainty over the opening of medical college in Shimoga. The college here does not figure in the MCI list.

According to the reported statement made by the Minister in Gulbarga, MCI does not plan to send a team to the new medical college coming up in the premises of McGann Hospital. Recruitment of teaching staff for the college is likely to be completed by January end. The Minister's statement has caused confusion among organisations that have been fighting for the sanction of the college here.

The college was proposed to start functioning from this academic year but it was not possible as there was delay in submitting the formal application by the State Government to the MCI seeking approval for it.

Construction in full swing

The Government has made a provision for Rs. 5 crores to take up construction of college buildings as it has done in the case of the other proposed colleges. While the construction of the buildings at an estimated cost of Rs. 2 crores has been taken up, the construction of the other buildings at an estimated cost of Rs. 3 crores is being taken up shortly.

The construction of all the buildings to enable the college to start its first year classes will be over by February end. The Public Works Department has undertaken the construction work. The MCI is expected to depute its team to visit the college only after the completion of the building and the provision of the necessary facilities.

Lack of candidates

But the major problem being faced is the paucity of qualified teaching staff in adherence to the stipulations laid by the MCI. The Governing Council of the college is finding it difficult to find candidates for the posts of Professors and Assistant Professors, besides the paramedical and para-clinical staff for the departments of Anatomy, Micro Biology, Biochemistry, Physiology, Pathology, Community Medicine, and Forensic Medicines.

A walk-in interview was held here recently by a 15-member committee consisting of the Registrar of the Rajiv Gandhi University for Health Sciences and the Principals of the Government Medical Colleges proposed to be started in Shimoga, Bidar and Mysore in which the qualified teachers were found only to teach Physiology, Pathology and Biochemistry.

But the teaching staff for the Anatomy Department with a minimum of 15 years teaching experience could not be found. And unless the qualified Professors for Anatomy are appointed, the MCI does not accord approval to start a medical college.

What appears to have made the teaching posts in government medical colleges less attractive is the lower salary package compared to those being offered by private medical colleges.

Inquiries reveal that a formal application to start the college in Shimoga has not been made to the MCI by the Government before the expiry of the last date.

The people of Shimoga, who were happy about a government medical college coming up in the city, may be in for disappointment next academic year.

Printer friendly page  
Send this article to Friends by E-Mail

Stories in this Section

Question mark over Shimoga government medical college
Kamalamma dead

Copyright © 2005, The Hindu. Republication or redissemination of the contents of this screen are expressly prohibited without the written consent of The Hindu