MCI rejects proposal for increase in seats

Ishrat S Banwait

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, July 6

In a blow to the Government Medical College and Hospital (GMCH), Sector 32, the Medical Council of India (MCI) has rejected the request for an increase in seats of its nine postgraduation courses. In a notification issued by the MCI, it stated that an application for the increasing was returned on June 28.

The hospital authorities said they had written to the MCI in February, requesting an increase in the number of seats for 2017-18. A team from the council had visited the college for an inspection earlier this year. The authorities, however, claimed that they had not received any formal rejection.Atul Sachdev, Director-Principal, GMCH, said, “We had requested the MCI for an increase in the number of seats as we fulfill all necessary conditions for the increase but we have not received any reply till date.” He refused to further comment on the matter.

For an increase in seats, there is a need to maintain the student, teacher ratio. While there has to be one professor for every two students, a ratio of one on one will have to be maintained in case of an associate professor and assistant professor with at least five years of experience.

The GMCH has 18 departments with 72 seats for MD/MS and 100 for MBBS. In 2013, the MCI had increased MBBS seats from 50 to 100. Last year, the MCI’s executive committee visited the GMCH and denied permission for enrolling students against the increased 50 seats due to several deficiencies. After another inspection in February, the MCI allowed the GMCH to retain all 100 MBBS seats.