MCI sanctioned more MBBS seats in government medical colleges

A recent petition in the Bombay High Court has revealed the fact that MCI has sanctioned more seats in government medical colleges than the private colleges.

As per the exact statistics, the last academic year (2015-16) a total 10,722 fresh MBBS seats recommended through government colleges and 6,700 in private colleges. These figures have been confirmed as per an affidavit filed by MCI officer Shikhar Ranjan in Bombay high court.

The final permit by the central government reports minimized figures of 6,300 and 4.250 final approved seats, respectively.

The PIL has been filed by Gadchiroli resident Prakash Intankar and Chandrapur resident Ramdas Wagdarkar through counsel Anil Kilor assisted by Deepali Sapkal.

As reported by TOI, a division bench of Justices Bhushan Gavai and Swapna Joshi adjourned the hearing of the case till April 15. The affidavit was filed as per directives during last hearing where MCI was told to submit a list of private colleges from entire country where deficiencies were found and action taken against them. The directives came after MCI recommended to stop admissions to 100 MBBS seats of GMC Chandrapur from 2016-17 academic session due to failure of government to remove 36 deficiencies.

The court turned the petition into PIL before granting interim relief, asking MCI and Centre to start admissions process last year, thus benefiting 100 students.

It has been further implied that applications of various colleges are under process and the final data for 2016-17 will be made available only after May 15. The council is reported to have received 93 applications for establishment of medical colleges, of which 39 were for the GMCs and 54 for private ones.

For academic year 2015-16, the MCI considered 83 applications of the medical colleges for grant of renewal of permission at various stages to admit fresh batch of MBBS students. Of them, the Centre granted renewal to 59 medical colleges, of which 38 are government and 21 private.