High Court directs readmission of 141 Medical students in 9 Medical Collges

141 MBBS final year students of Chintpurni Medical College, Pathankot, seem to have finally found their career shores in the High Court 's judicial order asking for them being transferred to other state medical colleges from Monday.

According to Hindustan Times after the MCI raised pointers on existent deficiencies in the private college, debarring it further admissions for 2012-13, the students had raised a transfer demand to other colleges. The medical body having complied with the court order has shifted these students to three government medical colleges of Patiala, Amritsar and Faridkot, besides six other private colleges in the state; the list of which is likely to be uploaded after a meeting with all college principals in Chandigarh on Monday.

Raj Bahadur, vice-chancellor, Baba Farid University of Medical Sciences, Faridkot, said, the students had been assigned colleges randomly at Medical Education and Research Director, Dr Manjit Kaur Mohi level. The students are to take an examination in their new colleges and a mandatory internship is to follow.

Asked if the students were to submit a fee again, Dr Mohi said the department was yet to take it up with the MCI. “Our priority is to adjust the students comfortably as directed by the Punjab and Haryana high court, she said.

The six private colleges where the students are to be adjusted include: Dayanand Medical College, Ludhiana; Christian Medical College, Ludhiana; Sri Guru Ram Dass Institute of Medical Science and Research, Amritsar; Punjab Institute of Medical Sciences, Jalandhar; Gian Sagar Medical College, Banur; and Adesh Institute of Medical Sciences and Research, Bathinda.

Meanwhile the parents and students are feeling a sense of relief. Mr. Shekhar Gupta ,parent of Ridhima Gupta, expressed sorrow over the fact that it had taken such a long time for the authorities to take this decision.

The first revolt by the students admitted in 2011 came in 2014 when they raised a demand to be shifted to other medical institution in the face of the MCI bar on further admissions.The college was not allowed to not admit students even in the 2013-14 and 2015-16 batches after the MCI bar.

The High Court order was acted upon by the state government and the MCI only after they were slapped a fine of Rs. 1 Lac for not complying this year.

The Supreme Court declined to interfere in the matter when the MCI filed a special leave petition against the high court directions earlier this month and directed it to comply with the high court orders within a week. Last week, the Union ministry of health and family welfare told the Punjab Medical Education and Research Department to shift the students.

However the future of Chintpurni hangs in a balance for the MCI 's decision on its future is yet to be revealed.When asked about admission for the next session at the Chintpurni college, Medical Education Secretary, Hussan Lal said the department was awaiting the MCI’s inspection report, and in case it debarred the college from admitting students, there would be no counselling for the college in the next session. "The MCI’s report is expected soon," he added.