BANGALORE: The state government will soon introduce a legislation to enable it to have a say in the functioning of deemed medical universities.
Medical Education Minister Sharan Prakash Patil made this announcement in the Assembly on Tuesday when he was replying to a debate on the demand for grants to the Health and Family Welfare department. Responding to strong criticism about the style of functioning of deemed universities, the minister said the government is determined to bring them under the state’s legal purview. At present, the state government has no control over the admission and fee structure in these universities.
He said the new law would include conditions for giving No-objection Certificate (NoC) for setting up deemed universities and for regulating admissions. “The state is providing land and other facilities for the deemed universities. Some of these universities have come up even without our NoC as it is the UGC which grants permission,” he said.
Concurring with the demand from opposition members, Patil said the state government wants to get a share of the seats in these universities for meritorious students. “At present, the state government has no power to interfere in the affairs of these universities. We will bring a legislation soon to change this within one year,” he declared. The minister also assured that the government would enact laws to curb the seat blocking racket in private professional colleges.
Super Speciality Hospitals
The government has decided to set up super speciality hospitals in all the four revenue divisions in the state to provide best medical services to the public. Approval has been given for the hospitals in Bellary and Hubli this year. Such hospitals would be established in Mysore, Belgaum and Gulbarga too. “These hospitals will provide medical services on par with the prestigious corporate hospitals, which are beyond the means of ordinary citizens,” Patil said.
The government has also decided to establish government medical colleges in every district, which would help swell the number of seats available for meritorious medical students, but would also improve medical services in district hospitals.