Students of the Chandulal Chandrakar Memorial Medical College at Durg and their parents on Wednesday hailed the Chhattisgarh government move to acquire the college, saying the "historic decision" will benefit the students.
“Children are our future and the state government will make every possible effort for their betterment,” the Chief Minister said when the students and parents paid him a courtesy visit, an official communication said.
A total of 180 students of the 2017 batch are studying in the fourth year at the Chandulal Chandrakar Memorial Medical College.
As the studies were getting affected, the Medical Education Department in Chhattisgarh re-allocated the students to other recognized medical colleges in the state.
Dr Rakesh Gupta, State Convener of the IMA Medical Student Network, told the Chief Minister that around 300 students of the pre-2017 batch are completing their internship and they will appear for PG NEET.
He said the future of these 480 students has been secured. Dr. Gupta said the Medical Council of India (MCI) gives permission for private medical college in any state only when the government pledges to protect the interests of the students.
He referred to a Supreme Court decision in the case of Uttarakhand which said the state government is morally responsible for securing the future of medical students.
Officials say the Chhattisgarh government has decided to take over the Chandulal Chandrakar Memorial Medical College in the larger interest of the students and to rapidly expand medical education in the state.
Usually, it takes about Rs 500 crores and a lot of time to develop an infrastructure such as a medical college.
But with this acquisition at Durg, students will secure the benefit of another government medical college at less than half the cost.