College of Physicians and Surgeons Mumbai to be taken over by State on admission irregularities: Report

Mumbai: The College of Physicians and Surgeons (CPS) now faces a state takeover due to admission irregularities that have surfaced of late. The CPS management’s decision to lower percentile to fill up medical seats in its affiliated hospitals and colleges have created an uproar of sorts in the Department of Medical Education and Research and the Ministry of Health; who had already demarcated a lower percentile for facilitation of admission prior to the CPS lowering.

The Department of Medical Education and Research(DMER) is seeking a legal opinion on the ramifications of their take over the decision.

“We are planning to streamline CPS admissions through the Directorate of Medical Education (DME) and under academic control by the Maharashtra University of Health Sciences (MUHS) at the earliest. Once the legal opinion is received, we will plan further action,” said DMER sources to the

Mumbai Mirror.

It is reported that the Supreme Court directive had made it mandatory for CPS to follow the minimum percentile cutoff decided by GOI. With this year seeing medical admissions carried out through the National-Eligibility-Cum Entrance Test (NEET), cut off was specified for the same. CPS however, admitted at least 280 students based on lower cut off percentiles than specified in a Government of India notification; creating ripples in the medical community.

This came as the executive committee of the body decided to lower percentile to fill up seats and allow candidates who have “just appeared for the NEET PG, even if they do not meet the minimum cut off percentile” to take admission.

“On August 19, our office-bearers met the Director of the Directorate of Medical Education & Research (DMER) and have sought verbal permission for admissions with reduced percentile,” justified Dr Laxmikant Vora, Member, CPS Executive Committee, when questioned by the daily Mumbai Mirror.Replying to whether it was a violation of SC and GoI rules, Dr. Vora said “No. We are allowing only those candidates who have applied for NEET.”

On the Contrary, DMER Director, Dr Praveen Shingare revealed, “CPS has taken this decision on its own. DMER has not given any such permission, either written or verbal.”

Meanwhile, DHS seats affiliated to the CPS continue to remain vacant, as the health department did not deem it correct to lower the percentile cut off, despite a similar suggestion having been made to it by the Mantralaya’s Public Health department.

There are around 900 PG medical diploma seats, certificate courses and fellowships run by the CPS, Mumbai with more than 125 accredited medical institutions, including government medical colleges, corporation medical institutions, and medical colleges under deemed universities recognized by UGC.

CPS courses are run by top medical hospitals in the city. Though not granted Medical Council of India recognition they do have the Maharashtra Medical Council approval. This restricts CPS PG degrees to the state of Maharashtra.

If the state government decides to withdraw this approval, the CPS can’t run its courses in any of the colleges.

Around 400 CPS seats remain to be filled. The executive committee is planning to fill them yet again through lowering of percentile reports Mumbai Mirror.