150 MBBS students of Subharti Medical College should be Shifted: MCI tells court

MCI has filed its reply stating that the Subharti Medical College did not fulfil the norms of running a medical college.

Dehradun: The state government's decision to shift 150 MBBS students of shut Subharti Medical College; has now got support from the apex Medical Council of India (MCI).

In an affidavit filed with the Supreme Court on January 15, the MCI has backed the idea to shift MBBS students of the medical college to other medical colleges running across the state. The hearing on the case will be held today

Earlier, the hearing was about to be held on January 10; but was adjourned on the request of MCI who asked for more time to file its reply on the case. The medical college was shut down after various discrepancies were noticed in the institute. Medical Dialogues has extensively reported about the same.

On December 6, the Supreme Court had ordered the Uttarakhand government to take over the land, buildings and assets of the self-financing Subharti Medical College within 24 hours and run it as a government entity thereafter.

This decision was taken in view of the petitions filed by a group of 74 NEET qualified students, who were admitted to the first year MBBS course in the college. The students moved the apex court saying that as there was a lack of infrastructure and faculty, they should be transferred to any other medical college in the state.

At that hearing, the Deputy Advocate General (DAG) of Uttarakhand J K Sethi told the bench that the state would be willing to take over the college along with its entire infrastructure and assets, both movable and immovable so that it could meet the norms of MCI and affiliated with Dehradun's Hemwati Nandan Bahuguna Uttarakhand Medical University (HNB Medical University).

The SC had made it clear that if the university affiliates the institution and MCI grants requisite permission, the students can sit for the first-year examination of MBBS course to be conducted by the university.

Read Also: Take over Shridev Suman Subharti Medical College: Supreme Court directs Uttarakhand Govt

In the next hearing, the state had revealed the irregularities that persisted at the Subharti University. The DAG Uttarakhand stated that the institution was making a "mockery of education" and all the students were being taken for a ride.

It was submitted that apart from a medical college, Subharti authorities were running a paramedical college, a nursing college, a pharmacy college, polytechnic and computer science colleges, a journalism institute, a management college, science and arts college, and even a yogic science college. All these colleges were being run on 13.59 acres whereas a 20-acre campus is mandatory to run just one medical college.

Further on 13th December, the staff of the shut medical college including over 400 doctors, medical teachers and paramedical staff protested inside the university campus demanding pending stipends and clarity regarding the status of their employment.

Read Also: Medical College Shutdown: More Irregularities revealed at Subharti University

After the SC order on its shutdown and acquisition by government, the Subharti management had announced winter vacations till January 15.

Earlier, the government was planning to amalgamate Subharti University with the HNB Garhwal University. However, with no update on the amalgamation, the MBBS are confused as to which university will conduct the examinations.

The MBBS students said, "But a situation of uncertainty is now prevailing in the institution and they are not aware as to which of the two universities- Ras Bihari Bose university or HNB Medical university, would conduct their examination." The MBBS students are also concerned about the teaching hours.

Read Also: Staring at Uncertain Future, Subharti Medical College MBBS students hold protest

Further, MCI was asked to submit its side on the case. However, the MCI requested for more time and the hearing which was to be held on January 15 was postponed.

Now, TOI reports that the MCI has filed its reply stating that the medical college did not fulfil the norms of running a medical college.

The MCI has agreed to shift MBBS students of the shut medical college to other medical institutes in the state. "The MCI also wrote about the land dispute of SSSMC (Subharti Medical College) and other shortcomings in the medical college, which make the institution unfit for teaching," said a state government official on the condition of anonymity, confirmed to TOI.

"Last time the MCI wanted to conduct a mandatory inspection, authorities of the university blocked the inspectors, which is why MCI did not allow students to be admitted in the college for the session 2018-19," the DAG informed the daily.

In 2017, the MCI had inspected the medical college and found several deficiencies. The same year, the medical education governing body barred the medical college from admitting students for the next two academic years. However, the MCI did allow the 150 MBBS students who taken admission to the college in 2016, to continue their studies in the same premises, saying their degrees will be valid.

Read Also: Dismissed: Petition of Subharti Medical College demanding MCI inspection