BELGAUM: Though there are apprehensions among students about whether the Government will open six medical colleges in the State, including one at the Belgaum Institute of Medical Sciences (BIMS) here, from the academic year 2006-07, the authorities at BIMS are confident that the college will be started without delay.

The apprehensions arise out of the fact that none of the proposed government medical colleges has been listed along with existing government and private aided medical colleges for distribution of seats, even as the Government has announced the calendar of events to conduct the Common Entrance Test for admission to medical and other professional courses in the State. The CET cell is yet to know about the exact number of seats, their classification and categories. However, the cell is expected to have these details before the commencement of the seat selection process. The admission round/seat selection process is scheduled to commence on June 26.

The previous Government headed by N. Dharam Singh had proposed to start six medical colleges. But the proposal did not come through as the Government could not create infrastructure and fulfil other requirements to the satisfaction of the Medical Council of India. Though the then Minister for Agriculture Marketing and district in charge, Prakash B. Hukkeri, who was responsible for getting a medical college sanctioned for Belgaum, tried his best to get the college started last year, his efforts were in vain owing to different reasons.

Advantage BIMS

As BIMS already has a 750-bed hospital and other facilities on its premises, it has an advantage over the other five proposed colleges with regard to infrastructure. What is needed now is to meet the conditions stipulated by the MCI so that it can recommend to the Centre to allow the college to admit students.

This can happen if there are full-fledged anatomy, physiology, biochemistry, biophysics and pathology departments and an administrative building, classrooms, hostels for boys and girls, library and other facilities.

The work on the college building has picked up pace since January as the college authorities plan to invite the MCI inspection team by the end of April.

Infrastructure

Speaking to The Hindu here on Wednesday, BIMS Director Gurumurthy expressed the confidence that the college will start from the academic year 2006-07. Infrastructure facilities will be ready by the end of April and we will be in a position to invite the MCI team so that it can inspect the college. Appointment of senior teaching staff has almost been completed. Appointments to the posts of junior-level teachers will also be completed within a week or fortnight, he added.

Against Rs. 20 crore sanctioned by the Government, works worth Rs. 6.69 crore were completed as on February.

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