Idukki students to be shifted

Kerela: 49 second year MBBS students of Idukki Government Medical College are to be shifted to other institutions by the government. This decision has been taken due to the lack of facilities for clinical practice and lab studies at the newly founded Idukki Government College.

Health Minister K.K. Shylaja in a statement to the Hindu said the government was concerned about the future of these students.

‘‘A decision has been taken to temporarily shift the second year students to other medical colleges, for which we have sought the permission of the Medical Council of India. The students will be moved back to Idukki as we develop the institution and create the necessary facilities,’’ Ms. Shylaja said.

The Director of Medical Education had also spoken about the lack of facilities and the resulting incapacity on the part of the college to provide clinical training or posting to the third and fourth semester (second year MBBS) students.

The government will be shifting 18 students to Thiruvananthapuram, six students to Alappuzha, eight to Kottayam, 10 to Kozhikode, and seven students to the Thrissur medical colleges from idukki government college. In its order (GO (Rt) No 1713/2016/H&FWD), the Health department said that the 49 students out of 50 students in 2014 batch, who passed second semester exams, are being shifted to Thiruvananthapuram (18), Alappuzha (6), Kottayam (8), Thrissur (10) and Kozhikkode (7) medical colleges, which have necessary facilities.

Second year MBBS students need to be given clinical posting in Orthopaedics, Skin, Respiratory Medicine, Psychiatry, Ophthalmology, ENT, Casualty, Clinical Pathology, and Community Medicine.

Students of other medical colleges have expressed hostility for the fear of their own college loosing credibility with the MCI