Ist medical university announced in J&K; Committee appointed

Jammu: A medical university being set up in Jammu and Kashmir covering 16 professional Medical Colleges and 113 para-medical institutes in the State is bound to reduce the burden on Jammu and Kashmir Universities, to a large extent.

The announcement regarding the establishment of the new university was made by Mehbooba who tweeted the information this morning.

“In an effort to realize my father’s vision, we will start the process to set up the first Medical University in Jammu and Kashmir during the upcoming Assembly session. The healthcare and education sectors are vital to our State,” stated the Minister on the micro-blogging site Twitter.

Health and Medical Education Minister, Bali Bhagat tweeted: “Medical University in J&K will be a reality, A high-level committee has been constituted today”.

Later, Bhagat told the Excelsior that the cabinet followed by the legislature would be tabled this information within a fortnight for the former and during the upcoming budget session for the latter.

“If everything goes well, we propose to give final shape to the Medical University by next academic year,” he said, adding that a total of 16 professional Medical Colleges and 113 Para-Medical Colleges and Nursing Institutes in the State would be covered by the Medical University.

According to Bhagat, the medical colleges under the two universities will automatically be transferred to the new university from the Jammu and Kashmir universities.

The state with the setting up of this new university will be the 15^th to have a separate medical university, said official sources. The Medical University will deal exclusively with Medical Colleges, Nursing institutes, Para-Medical Colleges, and related Colleges.

Sixteen professional Medical Colleges, which would come under the control of upcoming Medical University. These include: Government Medical Colleges (GMC) Srinagar,GMC, Jammu, Government Dental College, Jammu, Dental College Sehora, Jammu, Acharya Shri Chandra College of Medical Sciences (ASCOMS), GMC, Bemina, Sher-i-Kashmir Institute of Medical Sciences (SKIMS), Government Dental College Srinagar, Government Unani College, Srinagar (to be set up shortly), Government Ayurvedic College, Jammu, Trikuta Ayurveda College, Jammu and five upcoming Medical Colleges including Rajouri, Doda, Kathua, Anantnag and Baramulla.

A total of 113 Para-Medical Colleges and Nursing Institutes would also come under the domain of the new Medical University,

These would include 22 Government run ANMT/AMT Colleges including 10 in Jammu and 12 in Kashmir and 91 similar private colleges including 57 in Jammu and 34 in Kashmir.

Though initially there were plans of setting up the university in one region and the campuses in another, regional aspirations might lead to two universities being set up; one each in both the regions.A decision regarding this would be taken by the state cabinet next fortnight and a draft bill readied, accordingly.

“The Medical University would reduce the burden on Jammu University and Kashmir University as 16 Medical Colleges and 113 Para-Medical Colleges and Nursing Institutes etc would be taken out of their purview and all these Colleges would be affiliated with the new University,” sources said.

Meanwhile, a high-level Committee has been set up by Health and Medical Education Minister, Bali Bhagat today to give final shape to the draft bill and complete other formalities for setting up of the Medical University.

The Committee comprises of Additional Secretary, Health and Medical Education, Naseer Wani, Dr Yash Pal Sharma, Registrar, Government Medical College, Jammu, one representative of Principal, Government Medical College Jammu, a member will also be nominated by the Vice-Chancellor, Jammu University, and a retired Principal.
The Committee directive is to expedite assigned tasks and ensure the speedy establishment of the university which commences functioning from the next academic session.

Read also: Govt mulling to set up medical university in Jammu and Kashmir: Bali Bhagat