PUDUCHERRY: Time is running out for the Puducherry government to secure approval from the Health Ministry to admit students to the Indira Gandhi Medical College and Research Institute (IGMCRI).
This comes in the wake of the Medical Council of India (MCI) directing all State governments to follow the admission schedule and complete the first round of counselling and admission to all medical colleges by June 25, as per the SC order passed on March 14, 2014. The admission of students to the MBBS course in the college has become a concern after the MCI recommended the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare (MoHFW) not to renew its permission for admission for the fifth batch of students in 2014-2015, citing deficiencies primarily in faculty.
The MCI website states that there is a 23.2 per cent deficiency in faculty, a shortage of 29 faculty members out of 125 , while there is a shortage of 20 per cent resident doctors numbering 28 out of 142. The government thereby has moved to fill up the requisite number of posts immediately by conducting interviews from June 7 to 13.
According to the norms of the MCI, a minimum of 30 per cent faculty and resident doctors posts need to be filled up. It means that at least nine faculty members and 15 posts of resident doctors need to be appointed. However, even after the appointments, their joining duty would take time as all necessary procedures needs to be completed before that.
“Preferences will be given to those who can join within a week,” Health Secretary G Ragesh Chandra told Express.
Under the circumstances, educationists feel that the government should immediately take up the matter with the MoHFW and get the approval. It should also impress upon the MoHFW and get the approval with or without the compliance inspection.