MCI versus GMCH-32 over NRI admissions

Chandigarh: A conflict between the Government Medical College and Hospital (GMCH), Sector 32, and the Medical Council of India (MCI) over the admission of 6 NRI students is likely to erupt soon. These admissions have been allegedly granted without the aspirants clearing the eligibility test.

While the GMCH refuses to step back on its admission decision related to these NRI entrants; the Council is threatening to challenge its decision in court, admits Dr Raj Bahadur, Chairman, Monitoring Committee.

"It is mandatory for a medical institute to conduct an entrance examination for the admission of students. But no such protocol was followed before giving admission to these NRI students."

"While the Indian students had to face a tough competition to ensure a berth in the medical college, the NRI students were given admission on the first come first served basis," Dr Raj Bahadur told the Tribune.

Mr Bahadur revealed that the education regulator had ordered the GMCH to cancel the NRI student admissions after considered thought and file a medical college compliance report on the status of NRI admissions later.

Raj Bahadur said the NRI students were given admissions on the basis of percentage earlier, also. "Following the Apex Court's guideline, the GMCH- 32 should have made changes in the notification," he added.

The GMCH-32 however, claims that the NRI admissions had been done with the Council's consent, which is denied vehemently, by the Vice Chancellor, Baba Farid University of Health Sciences (BFUHS) and former director of the College. He also terms the college claim as being baseless.

Bahadur said, "No order was issued by the MCI stating that NRIs should be given admission without any entrance test."

When asked why the committee hadn't taken action earlier, Dr Raj Bahadur said the MCI is a monitoring body for 400 medical colleges, in which 65,000 students study, therefore, it takes the body time to act.

"Such issues are sensitive and require a lot of deliberation. A seven-member team, headed by the MCI President, discusses such anomalies and decisions are taken after scrutinising all aspects," said Dr Bahadur.

Dr AK Janmeja, Director-cum-Principal of the GMCH- 32, on the other hand, claimed the NRI aspirants as having been admitted as per provisions and permissible rules. He claimed the confusion over the issue would be resolved soon, as a detailed reply by the college had been filed in this context to the Council by the college hospital.

It is believed that the college hasn't come under this kind of crossfire for the first time. It had on an earlier occasion also come under Council scrutiny, which had raised objections over 23 postgraduate (MD/MS) seats across nine departments.

The Council in its course of inspection had found irregularities in some departments, reports the Tribune.