The Jharkhand High Court’s interim stay on the dictat of the Medical Council of India (MCI) to slash number of medical seats from 350 to 190 abruptly this year does not seem to end the woes of aspiring students of the State as the MCI is preparing to appeal to the Apex Court against the decision, according to Prem Kataruka, a social activist.
Kataruka, who had filed a PIl against the MCI decision in the Jharkhand High Court, wrote a letter to PM Narendra Modi on Wednesday seeking his immediate intervention in the matter to save the future of the students.
If the Ministry of Health and the MCI succeed in getting an order in MCI’s favour people would lose faith in the incumbent system, stated Kataruka in his letter.
Throwing light on the background of the issue Kataruka has stated that the aspiring medical students were helpless after the MCI dictat which slashed medical seats in three medical colleges in the State-RIMS, MGM, Jamshedpur and PMCH, Dhanbad from 350 to 190. Even the state government was sleeping as the counseling and admission of about 210 students by July 15 was cancelled abruptly on August 23 and a notice for re-counseling on just 190 seats was issued after the MCI dictat, he stated.
Kataruka further said that the first phase of counseling and admission on the basis of 350 seats was completed by July 15, the same day when the MCI had issued a seat slashing notice. “In that condition the future of the students was appearing dark and it was being said that only the PM can do something on the matter. It has been learnt that the Union Health Ministry and the MCI are moving to the Supreme Court against the interim order of the High Court. And if they succeed in getting an order in their favour from the Apex Court people would lose faith in the system,” he stated.
The social activist thus sought immediate intervention from the PM considering the matter a serious one relating to the future of students.The Jharkhand High Court on August 30 had stayed the order of the Medical Council of India (MCI) that had slashed the seats in three medical colleges of the state from 350 to 190. The court had asked the medical colleges to take admissions for 350 seats and asked the MCI and the Central Government to file reply by September 3.
The MCI decision had earlier created a furore in the State with the students going on indefinite strike. Several political parties, including the BJP, JVM had sought Union Health Minister Harsh Vardhan to get justice for the students.Former Chief Minister Arjun Munda had also written a letter to the minister pleading not to slash the seats. Also, BJP national vice president Raghubar Das met Harsh Vardhan in Delhi making a similar plea.
In 2011, MBBS seats of RIMS were increased from 90 to 150. In 2013, PMCH doubled its seat count from 50 to 100. But the July 15 notice had again brought the total seat count to 190.