GMCH Chandigarh denied MCI permission for additional seats in PG courses

Punjab: GMCH Chandigarh has been denied an MCI approval for offering additional seats for its PG courses. The medical college had submitted its request for providing more seats in nine PG medical courses. A notification by MCI clearly implied that GMCH application for the increase in seats has been returned on June 28.

However, the hospital authorities have denied any receipt of a formal rejection and in addition implied that the medical college had approached the MCI in February. A written request was submitted to the council for offering more seats for 2017-18. Following which, MCI inspection team paid a visit to the medical college in the beginning of 2016.

Atul Sachdev, Director-Principal, GMCH, said to Tribune that, “We had requested the MCI for an increase in the number of seats as we fulfill all necessary conditions for the increase but we have not received any reply till date.” He refused to further comment on the matter.

In order to be granted additional seats, the most important factor considered by MCI is the maintained students-teacher ratio. Even though there is one professor for every 2 students; there is another pre-requisite of maintaining a one-to-one ratio for associate professor and assistant professor. Also, an experience of at least 5 years is required at both the posts level. GMCH Chandigarh at present in-houses 18 departments offering 72 seats for MD/MS.

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Besides, 100 seats are also offered for MBBS course. The medical college started offering an addition of 50 seats after an MCI approval in 2013. In total, the medical college started providing 100 MBBS seats in 2013.

It was only recently when the medical college was granted permission to retain 100 MBBS seats. There was a lot of speculation regarding the matter of renewal of 100 seats for the fourth batch of MBBS students. This was because of the noted deficiencies by MCI during its routine inspection.

Also, it was in this year that the much speculated extension of the tenure of Dr Atul Sachdev, Director-cum-Principal, GMCH Chandigarh, has been put to rest by the Chandigarh Administration. Dr Atul’s term has been extended by one year. His three-year tenure ends in April 2016. So, now he will be the official authority by another one year term granted recently by the Chandigarh administration.