ROURKELA: With all necessary technical formalities completed, the newly-constructed Sundargarh Government Medical College and Hospital (SGMCH) is hopeful of starting its maiden academic session on schedule even as counselling for admission to seats under All India Quota is underway.
On August 18, the National Medical Commission (NMC) had given the go-ahead to SGMCH for admission to 100 MBBS seats for the 2022-23 academic session followed by its affiliation to Sambalpur University on September 16.
Principal and dean of SGMCH Prof Daitari Routray said as part of the counselling for the All India Quota of 15 per cent, the seat-locking process has started. Soon counselling for admission to the Odisha State seat quota of 85 per cent will follow. “We are hopeful that all the seats would be filled up as students prefer government medical colleges and the new MCH also has quality infrastructure and facilities,” Routray said.
As a minimum basic requirement to cater to first-year students, the SGMCH has already got posting of 81 faculty members including professors, associate professors, senior resident doctors and tutors. Para-medical and ministerial employees have also been hired, he added.
For an initial couple of years, the Sundargarh district headquarters hospital (DHH) has been attached to SGMCH and will act as its designated hospital. Bed capacity in the DHH has been increased to 500. Besides, the hospital is equipped with high-end medical equipment and facilities.
According to the NMC’s calendar, the academic schedule starts on November 15 and the total duration of the MBBS course is 66 months. In 2014, Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik laid the foundation for the SGMCH which has been constructed by the NTPC.