Andhra Pradesh: Around 400 MBBS seats of 3 private medical colleges not approved by MCI

Andhra Pradesh: MCI has not granted its approval to 3 private medical colleges in the state for the upcoming academic year. The council noted lack of fulfillment of norms along with charging the said medical colleges with producing fake facts and also alleging irregularities during a surprise inspection.

Almost 400 medical seats are expected to short for the upcoming academic year in the state as a result. The counseling for medical admission is expected to begin in August.

As per MCI official website, the three colleges include Maharajah Institute of Medical Sciences, Vizianagaram, NRI Institute of Medical Sciences, Visakhapatnam and Viswabharathi Medical College, Kurnool.

For NRI Institute of Medical College () and Viswabharathi Medical College, Kurnool (year of inception 2014), the status of MCI recognition states "Not permitted for renewal of permission u/s 10(A) for 2016-17."As for the MANSAS Trust-run Maharajah Institute of Medical Sciences (MIMS), Vizianagaram, the MCI states, "Not permitted for renewal of permission for increase from 100 to 150 u/s 10(A) for 2016-17. Admission stopped against recognised intake of 100 seats and increase intake of 100 to 150 seats for year 2016-17." MIMS had 150 medical seats, which was reduced to 100 last year and this time, even new admission to the 100 seats have been stopped.

A doctor implied on condition of anonymity that MIMS private medical college faked facts in front of MCI. Allegedly, to show the number of doctors and patients as per the MCI norms, the college hired local doctors by paying them. In addition, common people were asked to pose as patients, allegedly by bribing them. All this show was done to persuade MCI that the medical college had appropriate doctor-patient ratio as per MCI norms. A surprise inspection by MCI led to revelation of empty in-patient beds empty. Most of the faculty was also not spotted. This led to disapproval by MCI inspection team. Following which MIMS was not granted permission to admit students for the academic year 2016-17."

Another government doctor implied that MIMS was expecting MCI inspection to be conducted soon. Allegedly, they gathered around 100 villagers from close by locations. They allegedly gave them money and food to occupy their hospital beds every evening for almost 15 days. However, the MCI team didn't turn up. MIMS incurred an expense of Rs 30,000-40,000 to retain these fake patients. MCI reportedly noted a gap in the functioning of the college. Following which they did not grant permission for the existing 100 seats to the college.

Highly placed sources have also implied in their allegation that MCI refused to oblige the private hospitals, as they promise to make rectifications but do not take any remedial action later. Even though MCI inspection was scheduled at July 19 at MIMS, MCI inspection team did not visit the medical college. They had already taken a decision to reduce the number of seats to Zero.

Dr PV Sudhakar, ethics committee member of AP Medical Council (APMC), said to TOI that, "In all this fiasco, it's the medical students seeking admission who would be the real sufferers. Despite getting ranks, their admission to these colleges is doubtful or rather not possible. Alternate arrangements in some other medical colleges by suddenly increasing seats is also not feasible against their existing infrastructure. The students could have been allowed to take up admission this time while these errant medical colleges should be given a strict warning that all their management quota seats would be converted to government quota from next year if they do not rectify their lacunae."