In a controversial move, the Medical Council of India (MCI) has allowed nearly 40 Government medical colleges across India to increase almost 1,400 MBBS seats for 2013-14 without inspecting their faculties and infrastructure.
The MCI said it was a one-time measure to allow the medical colleges meet the infrastructure criteria within a year. But experts said it would compromise the standard of medical education as the students will be deprived of basic educational facilities. In all, 1,390 additional MBBS seats have been approved across the country, taking the total number of seats to 46,500. There are 362 medical colleges in the country.
last month, the MCI had notified a new set of regulations under which July 31 was the last date for granting such approvals. The MCI will later carry out an inspection of the facilities and infrastructure at colleges where additional seats have been created. Forty-seven Government medical colleges responded to the invitation. Some of these were rejected a few months ago as they do not meet the standard criteria.
However, at least 38 Government medical colleges have been allowed to increase the seats. After Maharashtra, Bihar has been the biggest gainer in getting approval with MCI. Those medical colleges with an intake of 50 seats at present will be allowed to admit 100 and those with 100 seat capacity now will be permitted to take in 150, as per the scheme.
"This is a one-time measure. The colleges have given undertaking that infrastructure will be enhanced in a time-bound manner. MCI will review the number of seats and infrastructure next year," said an MCI official. However, Narendra Saini, General Secretary of the Indian Medical Association (IMA) said, "Bypassing the basic norms for infrastructure and faculties by the MCI sends the wrong message. We hope it would ensure that the norms are met within the stipulated time."