Fathima Institute of Medical Sciences Students still wait to be shifted

Vijayawada: The Fatima Institute of Medical Sciences(FIMS), Kadapa students whose admissions were cancelled in 2014-15 due to inadequacies of the college are still waiting to be relocated to other medical colleges. The Supreme Court’s order to the state government to offer education alternatives to the students continues to hang fire as the Medical Council of India has turned down the government’s proposal. The Supreme Court had given two weeks to the government for relocation plan submission, in the first week of September.

This judicial order had the state government propose a 5 student shift between the 20 medical colleges, available. The MCI, however, turned it down saying that it would lead to the meritorious to lag behind.

Earlier, the Minister of Health, Kamineni Srinivas Rao had suggested an all FIMS student transfer to government medical colleges. However, the final choice of a shift to government colleges was left to the students.

He further suggested that if a student chooses a private college, the donation paid to FIMS was to be transferred to it. If he /she choose to be with a government college, the donation would then be utilized in developing the teaching hospital attached to it.

The MCI disapproval of a shift to government colleges leaves the state authorities looking for alternatives.

However, the Council agreed to give in to the state proposal, if the latter was willing to give up 99 seats in the next academic counselling session. The State authorities declined and started looking for options, all over again.

Appala Naidu, Registrar of NTR University of Health Sciences,while speaking to the Indian Express, said, “The case is still going on in the Supreme Court. The final decision is likely to be taken by the end of this month or in the first week of November. The department is having talks with Union ministers and MCI officials to consider the issue.”

Meanwhile, the FIMS students and their parents are complaining of the issue being delayed unnecessarily, thereby delaying the process of justice.

“Many people have assured us that our children would get relocated to other colleges. But with this delay, we are losing hope and the students are going through a lot of depression.We struggled hard and fought even in Delhi too. Due to the sheer negligence of the State government, we are facing these struggles. Our only hope is the judgment of the Supreme Court,” said Md. Khan, a FIMS parent.

There are 1,750 seats in the 11 government colleges in the State, 1,900-2,000 seats in the 17 private colleges and a hundred and fifty seats in a semi-government college.