BANGALORE: A team of the Medical Council of India (MCI) team is expected to visit the State in the first week of June to inspect the work on six new medical colleges.

Medical Education Minister V.S. Acharya told presspersons on Tuesday that if the MCI team gives clearance by June 15, the Government would initiate the admission process by August-end.

He said he would meet officials to review the progress of work and the preparedness for the inspection. A sum of Rs. 85 crore had been released for establishing the six medical colleges, he added.

Work on the proposed colleges in Belgaum and Mandya was going on. But work was behind schedule in Hassan and Shimoga. There was not much progress in respect of colleges in Raichur and Bidar.

The appointment of members of faculty for these colleges would be discussed, Dr. Acharya said. Although the retirement age was 58 years under State Government rules, the Government was considering extending the age limit to 65 years going by the MCI principle. The Government intended to retain services of members of the faculty in that age group by offering special incentives, he added.

The Veterinary College in Shimoga, a commitment made in the budget by Deputy Chief Minister B.S. Yediyurappa, would become a reality soon, he said. On May 2, counselling sessions were held for 198 applicants for posts in the Animal Husbandry Department, and postings given.

Dr. Acharya said the intake in Indian systems of Medicine courses in the private institutions for 2006-07 would remain the same as last year, since the managements had accepted the seat matrix and the fee structure proposed by the Government.

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