Karnataka: Six sanctioned medical colleges yet to start

Bengaluru: The budgetary sanction of six Government Medical Colleges (GMCs), for the state in the last budget will not take off the ground even in 2018-19. The lack of infrastructure had led to the local Inquiry Committee consisting of experts from Rajiv Gandhi University of Health Sciences (RGUHS)to refuse permission for starting the colleges.

Of the seven colleges announced in the state budget of 2016, including one at Bowring and Lady Curzon Hospital in Bengaluru, the latter two of the seven are the only colleges that are likely to get operations approval.

Dr K S Ravindranath, Vice-Chancellor of RGUHS said, “As per the information from LIC members, the places where the medical colleges are proposed are not equipped with necessary facilities to run a medical college. We will communicate this to the Department of Medical Education.”

“Building construction on Bowring hospital premises is on and they have time till June to get approval. We will send another team after the construction,” the V-C added.

Despite fulfilling infrastructural and other criteria specifications the college will able to start courses only in the 2018-19 academic year..

According to the Medical Council of India (MCI), stipulation an institute should apply at least two years earlier, if wanting to start a medical college.

Officials are hopeful of funds being allocated for setting up of medical colleges at least in the 2017 budget. A senior official told Express: “Though the colleges were announced last year, no fund has been allocated yet. We expect funds to be allocated in this year’s budget.”