Congress seeks clarification on reduction of 100 MBBS seats in SCB Medical College from next year

Odisha: Leader of Opposition Narasingha Mishra in Odisha Assembly demanded the state Health and Family Welfare Minister to make a statement over the media reports on the reduction of 100 MBBS seats in the SCB Medical College from the next academic year.

Raising the issue during zero hour, Mr Mishra quoting media reports said the number of MBBS seats are going to be reduced from 250 to 150. He said the Executive Council of the Medical Council of India has recommended to the central government to reduce the number of MBBS seats by 100 citing 16 deficiencies.

He said the most important thing the council had pointed out that the Superintendent of the hospital is not qualified to hold the post.The other deficiencies included lack of required number and size of examination halls, library, reading room and lack of adequate doctors in the casualty.

Mr Mishra said it as a matter of great concern as the recommendation for reducing the number of seats was taken at a time when there were not adequate number of doctors in CHC, PHC and district headquarter hospitals in the state.

Stating that at any moment the number of seats could be reduced, he asked the Health and the Family welfare Minister to give a clarification on the issue.

BJP Legislature Party leader K V Singh Deo said the posts of as many as 179 professors and Assistant Professors were lying vacant in SCB Medical College and hospital.

He questioned when the government was not able to fill up the vacancies in the existing Medical colleges how could it open five new medical colleges. Mr Singh Deo said the government should clarify what step it is going to take to ensure that 100 MBBS seats of the SCB Medical College and Hospitals are not reduced.