Nagpur: AIIMS academic session to begin in 2018-19

Nagpur: All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS), is to be started on a temporary basis from Government Medical College and Hospital (GMCH) campus for the 2018-19 session as per the suggestion of the Central Government.

In a meeting with the local officials on December 7, the state health minister, Girish Mahajan formulated a plan to start AIIMS at GMCH in 2018-19. The ministry decision has been taken on a positive note by the GMCH authorities and the Dean GMCH, Dr. Abhimanyu Niswade said that all requirements of the institute would be met with.

A report by the central team submitted in November spoke of a separate block at GMCH, with a separate entry and exit to be demarcated for the temporary AIIMS campus that is going be started there. The report also mentions the government hospital associated with GMCH to act as a referral hospital for the temporary AIIMS on a sharing basis. It also mentions the signing of a memorandum of understanding for the purpose between GMCH and AIIMS.

“Initially, the institute will start with 50 seats. When it shifts to the main campus, the seat strength will be raised to 100,” said Nodal officer,AIIMS Nagpur,Dr Ravi Chauhan.

“On Monday, local officials and dean Niswade will chalk out a plan to start the temporary AIIMS in 2018-19 and submit it to the central government,” said Dr Viral Kamdar, Adviser to Gadkari.

Worth Rs.1600 crore, AIIMS Nagpur was approved by the central government on October 7, 2015. In March, 2016, 150 acres of land was allotted for the its campus at Mihan.

In July, the Transport Minister, Nitin Gadkari and Chief Minister, Devendra Fadnavis, jointly suggested that AIIMS hospital be started from the Employees State Insurance Corporation (ESIC) hospital at Ganeshpeth. Three college Raisoni College at Hingna, Panpaliya Homeopathy Hospital at Nandanvan, and Pharmacy College, were recommended for educational and accommodation purposes. An inspecting team from the center visited the city in September, to check the proposed infrastructure.

Government Medical College Hospital, at this point was not even on the list of recommended colleges, however,it was inspected by the team, as an option. In its report after the visit, the inspecting team concluded that ESIC and Homeopathy College were private trusts, and therefore, unfit for housing the institute. “Major renovation along with augmentation will be needed to make the places fit for starting AIIMS. On the other hand, GMCH has good space and infrastructure with vacant lecture theatres and rooms,” the report added.