HYDERABAD: As the counselling for medical admissions in the State began on Friday, the Government of India (GoI) reduced the number of MBBS seats in seven private medical colleges by 350 for 2006-07 but approved 150 additional seats in three other colleges, both based on the recommendations of the Medical Council of India (MCI).

However, it permitted 175 additional seats for the year in 11 Government medical colleges, 150 of them in the Rajiv Institute of Medical Sciences, Kadapa, and 25 in Guntur Medical College, which lost them last year due to faculty deficiency found during MCI inspections.

So, the State remains with a net gain of only 25 seats for the year. With this, the number of MBBS seats available for the year reached 3,900 -- 2,300 in 20 private colleges and 1,600 in Government ones, while the queue for a place in them has turned longer, making allotments a tough job. This implies that about 1,700 candidates are seeking each seat. About 88,900 candidates appeared for the medical stream of EAMCET-2006 while 71,000 of them passed.

MCI findings

A full picture about the seats for the year was available on Thursday following a GoI communication indicating its permissions/ rejections. After inspections recently, the MCI reported deficiencies in the seven private colleges regarding faculty, laboratories, library and other infrastructural facilities and accordingly recommended reduction of 50 seats in each. Accepting its recommendations, GoI accordingly issued approvals.

As a result, these colleges now remain with 100 seats each.

They include - GSL Medical College, Rajahmundry, PES Institute of Medical Sciences, Kuppam, Konaseema Institute of Medical Sciences, Amalapuram, Bhaskar Medical College, Yenkapalli, Ranga Reddy district, and Dr. Pinnamaneni Siddhartha Institute of Medical Sciences, Krishna district.

Ray of hope

I. V. Subba Rao, Principal Secretary, Health, said these colleges, however, get back the lost seats if the deficiencies are found rectified during MCI inspections in September but they will be valid only for next year.

Going by better facilities certified by the MCI, the GoI permitted 50 additional seats each in three colleges, taking the total in each to 150 --Mamata Medical College, Khammam, Kamineni Institute of Medical Sciences, Narketpalli, and Narayana Medical College, Nellore.

The GoI is tight-lipped on the Christian Medical College, Dichpalli.

While the intake in each of the Government and private colleges now ranges from 100 to150, Osmania Medical College tops with 200 seats.

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