Subharti Medical College case adjourned to January 16

Dehradun: The fate of MBBS students attached to Subharti Medical College is facing yet another setback on the legal front, since the hearing of the case which was about to be held on January 10 has been postponed.

The adjournment comes after the Medical Council of India (MCI) requested the apex court to file its reply on the case. The next hearing on the case will be held on January 16, Wednesday, reports TOI.

However, recently, Amar Ujala reported that the committee formed on the instructions of the Directorate of Medical Education (DME) had given NOC after examining all the arrangements related to class operations in the medical college. Accordingly, the MBBS classes will resume from January 16 as the medical college had announced winter vacation till January 15.

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. 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.

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.

At that time, 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.

Dr Sayana further said that a committee headed by Dr Navin Thapliyal is looking after the interim arrangements of college and it has been asked to ensure that the studies of the students are not affected.

Recently, confirming the commencement of MBBS classes for Subharti students, Dr Thapliyal informed Amar Ujala that as the medical college was already operating so the arrangements of hostels and mess etc. are correct. He added that the class operation in the medical college has been given the green signal. "Therefore, after the end of the winter holiday on January 15, classes of MBBS students will be started from January 16."

Read Also: Subharti Medical College Update: MBBS Classes to RESUME from January 16

TOI report adds that on the court front however, the case has been adjourned to January 16.