32 private medical colleges banned for 2 years, Centre also forfeits their Rs 2 crore Security

New Delhi: The Supreme Court panel’s (Oversight Committee) clearance given to 32 medical colleges despite their alleged sub standard facilities has been overruled by the Union Health Ministry which has imposed a ban on them. Security deposits of Rs. 2 crore each that was made by these medical colleges last year has also been forfeited.

However, bringing relief to the students, the ministry has allowed the 4000 undergraduates in these colleges to continue with their studies at these colleges..

“We based our decision on the inspection report which highlighted gross deficiency of facilities. But the decision will not impact students already studying,” Joint Secretary, Health and Family Welfare, Arun Singhal, told HT.

The three member Oversight Committee was appointed in 2016 by the Supreme Court and headed was by former Chief Justice ML lodha. The committee was supposed to check MCI’s Corrupt ways and work out ways to improve medical education in the country.

It is reported that the MCI had completed inspection of 109 colleges that had applied for under graduate course admission of students for 2016 by the time the Court appointed panel was formed. The MCI however approved of a mere 17.

MCI’s decision was overruled by the appointed panel which gave permission to 34 colleges for MBBS admissions. This saw the two bodies at cross paths.

The panel permission came with an undertaking from the colleges that they would fulfill the stipulated norms within a period of time. If found wanting at the end of it they would be banned for two years and securities would be forfeited.

A four member inspection team that visited the colleges in November /December, 2016 found then “deficient in basic facilities.” The Council recommended a ban on all the 32 institutions based on these inspection reports.

However, the SC panel was seen reversing this decision, a day before May 15 when its mandate ran out . It gave permission to 26 colleges for student admissions and ordered fresh inspection for the remaining 6 reports Hindustan times .The Oversight Committee’s May 14 memo to the Health Ministry ,also cited the panel cited “numerous instances of violation” of inspection guidelines by the joint team.

Read Also: Oversight Committee slams MCI on Selection of Medical College Inspectors

The MCI however, dismissed the allegation.

“It will be unfair to say that MCI did not adhere to the OC guidelines. The MCI has engaged the assessors from the OC panel and OC recommended institution in every team,” said Jayshree Mehta, President , MCI.

“We looked at the inspection report of the MCI and the OC’s comment on that and made a decision,” said Singhal .

Private colleges defined the ban as discriminatory and illegal nature.

“Last year, the OC allowed 34 colleges to admit students and put in place a proper mechanism to inspect the facilities, but the MCI has grossly violated that process. It failed 32 colleges deliberately. It is witch-hunting,” a private college promoter added. While the students felt vulnerable and victimized

“If the government thinks that these colleges don’t have facilities then we should be shifted to approved colleges immediately,” said a private college student.

According to them, the ban would deter colleges from taking the initiative of improving facilities, which would have an impact on their academic performance reports HT.

Below is the list of medical colleges which have been debarred by the Health Ministry

As per letters accessed by Medical Dialogues, following is the list of debarred colleges:

1) Major S.D. Singh Medical College & Hospital, Fatehgarh, UP
2) Venkateshwar Institute of Medical Sciences, Amroha, UP
3) Varunarjun Medical College, Shahjahanpur, UP
4) Madha Medical College & Hospital, Thandalam, Tamil Nadu
5) Melmaruvathur Adhiprasakthi Institute of Medical Sciences, Melmaruvathur, Tamil Nadu
6) Annaii Medical College, Kancheepuram, Chennai, Tamil Nadu
7) Chintpuri Medical College & Hospital, Pathankot, Punjab
8) Malla Reddy Medical College for Women, Telangana
9) Al Azhar Medical College, Kumaramangalam, Kerala
10) DM Wayanad Institute of Medical Science, Meppadi, Kerala
11) RKDF Medical College, Hospital & Research Centre, Bhopal, MP
12) Hi-Tech Medical College & Hospital, Sundargarh, Odisha
13) Jawahar Medical Foundation's ACPM Medical College, Dhule, Maharashtra
14) Hamdard Institute of Medical Sciences & Research, New Delhi
15) RVM Institute of Medical Sciences, Telangana
16) Sakshi Medical College & Research Centre, Guna, MP
17) Sukhsagar Medical College & Hospital, Jabalpur, MP
18) American Institute of Medical Sciences, Udaipur, Rajasthan
19) Raipur Institute of Medical Sciences, Raipur, Chhattisgarh
20) World College of Medical Sciences & Research, Jhajjar, Haryana
21) Modern Institute of Medical Sciences, Indore, MP
22) Krishna Mohan Medical College, Mathura, UP
23) Apollo Institute of Medical Sciences & Research, Chittoor, AP
24) Kanachur Institute of Medical Sciences, Mangalore, Karnataka
25) Akash Institute of Medical Sciences & Research, Devanalli, Karnataka
26) Nimra Institute of Medical Sciences, Ibrahimpatnam, AP
27) Gayatri Vidya Parishad Institution of Health Care and Medical Technology, Visakhapatnam, AP
28) GCRG Institute of Medical Sciences, Lucknow, UP
29) Shri Shankaracharya Institute of Medical Sciences, Bhilai, Chhatisgarh
30) Glocal Medical College Super Specialty Hospital & Research Centre, Saharanpur, UP
31) Kerala Medical College, Palakkad, Kerala
32) Saraswati Medical College, Unnao, UP
33) Ananta Institute of Medical Sciences & Research Centre, Rajasamand, Rajasthan
34) Prasad Institute of Medical Sciences, Lucknow, UP

Source: MOHFW