Though based on a positive report of the Medical Council of India (MCI) the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare has given the letter of Permission (lOP) to the State Government’s Doon Medical College (GDMC) here, the college would have to continuously upgrade its facilities for renewal of permission by the MCI for next four years.
The college would start giving admissions in its first year of MBBS course from this year. The lOP is for intake of 150 students.
In the lOP dated June 8, the Under Secretary to the Government of India, Pradip Kumar Pal, has said, “This permission is accorded initially for a period of one year and will be renewed on yearly basis subject to the verification of the achievement of annual targets as indicated in your scheme. This process of renewal of permission will continue till such time the establishment of medical college and expansion of hospital facilities are completed and a formal recognition of Medical College is granted.’’ The letter also categorically States that the college would have to contribute 15 percent of its MBBS seats for all India quota.
When contacted by The Pioneer, the Director, medical education, Dr Ashutosh Sayana admitted that the medical college has to seek four renewals of the permission before a final recognition is granted to it. He informed that the facilities in the associated hospital and medical college would have to continuously up-graded for these renewals.
Dr Sayana said that the 300 bed associated hospital would have to be upgraded to 750 bed hospital with other improvements.
It is worth mentioning here that the Haldwani medical college has received the formal recognition from the union ministry of health and family welfare while the Medical College Srinagar would apply for its fourth renewal of permission this year. Once a medical college is granted formal recognition it does not have to face MCI inspection for next five years.
The medical education department would soon initiate the process of inviting the team of MCI for its visit for first renewal of the lOP. After the formal invitation the team of MCI would visit the GDMC next year.