VISAKHAPATNAM: Andhra Medical College is likely to get an additional 50 MBBS seats as per the recent Central government notification on 10 per cent quota to economically weaker sections.
Following increase in number of seats, the AMC intake for MBBS course will go up from 200 to 250. But what is plaguing students more is the shortage of hostel accommodation.
Although orders for increase in number of seats are yet to be received by the AMC, a communication to this effect (increase in number of seats) should be sent by the Centre to Medical Council of India and display the new seats allotment on its website.
“As there is time for counselling till July first week, we will receive the orders by then and have the additional seats from the next academic year,” AMC principal PV Sudhakar said.
This is not all. Infrastructure too has to be upgraded in the AMC for the available seats in the next three years. If there is no progress on the infrastructure front, there are chances the AMC might lose the additional seats allotted by the MCI.
The AMC officials are under pressure from the MCI on the infrastructure front for grant of additional seats.
Despite repeated requests and proposals made by it, the government was not releasing funds on the pretext of shortage of funds. Of the total strength of 2,000 students, the AMC has hostel accommodation for only 1,000. Every year, there are 200 MBBS, 212 PG and 23 super speciality seats are filled.
The students are forced to stay in nearby hostels, though they are not allowed to stay outside. Of the total five hostels for UG, PG and senior residents, three to four students of the first-year MBBS share one room.
As there are no rooms for interns or house surgeons, many either share a room with UG or PG students or stay outside. Even the present hostels are in need of renovation.
“There should be hostel accommodation for house surgeons, who work round-the-clock, but we don’t have any hostels. We stay outside by paying rents between Rs 10,000 and 15,000 per month,” an AMC house surgeon said. Many non-locals, who have got good ranks in NEET 2019 are worried about the hostel and infrastructure facility in the AMC.