Accomodate 108 PRIMS MBBS students in government colleges: DMK MP urges TN government

Chennai: DMK MP R.S.Bharathi has sent a representation to Tamil Nadu Chief Secretary Girija Vaidyanathan and other officials to admit 108 MBBS students in government medical colleges as per a Madras High Court order.

Medical Dialogues had earlier reported about 150 MBBS students at defunct Ponnaiyah Ramajayam Institute of Medical Sciences (PRIMS) finally got court relief; when the Madras High Court last month ordered the state government to shift them to any of the 22 Government Medical Colleges (GMCs) in Tamil Nadu. In a case of shortage of places at the GMC, the court directed the state government to take necessary approval from the Medical Council of India (MCI) for MBBS seat increase.

The decision of shifting these students was taken by the state government after noting the lack of facilities for clinical practice and lab studies at the newly founded medical institute, PRIMS.

The students had requested the authorities to shift them to the state-run medical colleges contending that there is a chance that the private medical colleges may face a similar condition as PRIMS and if they get accommodated there, their studies might suffer again.

Throughout all the hearing sessions, the state reiterated its submission that it was not possible to accommodate the present 150 MBBS students in GMCs as in compliance with the earlier HC order, the government had shifted about 144 students of Anna Malai Medical College and Hospital to various government colleges last year only.

However, on the issue of private medical colleges not having enough infrastructural facilities to accommodate students, the bench observed that the students cannot be shifted to these colleges and should be accommodated in GMCs only. The bench had stated,

“In the case of self financing medical colleges who have come forward to accommodate the students admittedly indicated that they do not have sufficient infrastructure facilities, bed strength and adequate faculty.

In view of this reason, the arguments by additional advocate general that all MBBS students of defunct Ponnaiyah medical college should be distributed in self financing medical colleges will prove fatal to the future career of the students”

Read also: Finally, 150 MBBS students of PRIMS to be shifted to government medical colleges

The court had passed the order on 13.12.2018. Now, one month later Citing the court order, Bharathi said in the letter to Vaidyanathan, a copy of which was sent to the media here, that the government should take the necessary steps to admit the 108 students in 22 government medical colleges in the state.