50 MBBS students may lose a year

They are especially resentful of the MCI’s decision to allow two private colleges, one in Navi Mumbai and the other in Dhule district, to increase their intake capacity from 50 to 100 seats when private managements are notorious for flouting the MCI’s criteria to even run their institutions. On the other hand, they point out, the GMC here has failed to fill up a mere 10 of the 171 vacant teachingposts, the ground cited for disqualification.Acting Dean of the Government Medical College and Hospital, Dr B N Rao told Express Newsline that the MCI has turned the matter into an ego tussle between the government and the council. “But we are determined to take our appeal to the highest forum,” he adds.

Dean of the Faculty of Medicine at the Dr Babasaheb Ambedkar Marathwada University, Dr Ramdas Ambulgekar, says the MCI’s decision is “most unfortunate”. Marathwada, with an capacity of a mere 400 students at the five medical colleges in the region, lags way behind other regions in the state. Now, if even the additional quota is revoked, it will only spell doom for budding doctors here, he explains. The MCI should have given the state government more leeway in filling up vacant teaching posts, he says. In any case, these posts pertain to the second and third year MBBS courses only.Vice-Chancellor of the Dr Babasaheb Ambedkar Marathwada University, Dr Shivraj Nakade, says the GMC here boasts ofinfrastructure, staff and equipment far better than any other private or government college in the region and even in the state. “We, of course, might have some minor things to fill here and there but I am sure the situation is far more satisfying than in most private medical colleges which enjoy the MCI’s blessings. The university will do everything it can to put moral and legal pressure on the MCI so that it reconsiders its decision,” he remarks.

Dr Nakade, himself a legal expert, says the MCI should have been mindful of the fact that the GMC is located in a backward area, which enjoys special privileges under Section 371 (2) of the Constitution.

Dr D G Dongaonkar, vice-chancellor of the newly set up University of Medical and Health Sciences, told Express Newsline from Nashik that the state would support the students all the way. “There is no precedent where students who have been admitted have been asked to leave mid-way. At the most, the issue may land up in a legal tangle between the stategovernment and the MCI,” he says. Dr P M Jadhav, MCI member, refused to return repeated phone calls to Express Newsline.

Decision taken out of frustration: MCI chief

MCI Chairperson, Dr Ketan Desai, told the Express Newsline from Ahmedabad that the decision to revoke the GMC’s additional quota, taken by the council’s Executive Body in New Delhi last week, was taken “out of frustation” since the Maharashtra government had failed to provide adequate staff at the college despite repeated “warnings”.

On the fate of the students admitted against the additional quota, Dr Desai was categorical. “A big zero. The students will have to leave the medical campus.”

He adds: “Ever since August 12, 1992, when the The Indian Medical Council Act 1956 was amended, I know of no instance when the central government has revoked a decision recommended by the Medical Council of India.” He says he doesn’t see how the state government can bail out the students, since the central acts, (here theMCI Act) will hold superiority over any other federal rule.

V L Deshpande, dean of the GMC who holds additional charge as the director of medical education and research, says the MCI’s decision is not final and the central government has to ratify the council’s report. In case the Centre approves the decision, “we shall go to the MCI with a begging bowl”.

Thomas Benjamin, secretary with the Department of Medical Education and Drugs, Government of Maharashtra, claims that the state government has filled the 10 vacancies after the MCI inspection. “So now, the central government does not have reason to ratify the MCI decision,” he told Express Newsline.

He says Union Health Minister Dalit Ezhimalai, who was in Mumbai recently, has been apprised of the situation and he has promised “to look into the matter”.