BANGALORE: The Union Government has directed the Bangalore Medical College (BMC) to increase the number of postgraduate (PG) seats as part of the upgradation of the college under the Pradhan Mantri Swasthya Sunaksha Yojana.

It has granted BMC and six other hospitals in the country Rs. 100 crore each for the project. The State Governments will invest Rs. 20 crore each under the project. An official approval of the project and the recommendations of the Union Government were faxed to the State Government on Monday. It has laid down six criteria for BMC to follow for obtaining the grant.

At present, there are 75 postgraduate seats being offered by BMC. The number of postgraduate seats offered by all the State and private medical colleges is 600. A committee has been formed by the Medical Education Department to look into the issue of increase in seats.

The increase in seats will depend on the strength of faculty members, says an official of the Medical Education Department. According to Medical Council of India rules, the ratio of faculty to student strength has to be maintained at 1:1. "We are looking at which departments requires more faculty. We will develop a formula in a day or two," adds the official.

The Union Government has also directed the State Government to strengthen existing facilities in the departments of medicine, surgery and obstetrics and gynaecology on the basis of gap analysis. Apart from this, it has requested the State to strengthen the existing specialty and super specialty disciplines being offered by the hospital and its five associate hospitals, Victoria, Bowring and Lady Curzon, Vani Vilas, Minto and Venkateswara ENT.

It has urged the State Government to improve emergency and operation theatre facilities in the hospitals attached to BMC as well as to strengthen and upgrade the nursing colleges attached to the hospitals. However, it has advised the State Government not to spend too much on construction.

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