Medical Council of India sends notice to Kerala Government on medical college student shift

Shifting Stundets is Violation of norms, Bring the students back to the medical college immediately, says Medical Council Of India

Thiruvananthapuram: The recent move of the state government to shift its medical students out of Idukki Medical College and to re-allocate them to other medical colleges has indeed, landed itself on the wrong side of the Medical Council of India (MCI). The education regulator has issued a notice to the state for shifting students of Idukki Medical College, (one of the many launched) to other colleges, without obtaining its prior approval.

The MCI notice to the government clearly states that the student shift is being viewed as ‘violation of norm’ by the apex body, and that the state authorities should shift back the transferred students- immediately.

It is believed that the apex body has also asked the government to shut down the college. This comes in line with the regulation that the students of the medical college can only be shifted if it is shut down.

The said medical college has been facing its share of major problems, a fact that has facilitated the state government to initiate the shift of the students. Some of the issues include:-

• Shortage of teaching staff, operation theater, specialty wings, wards, labs and other facilities; besides the doctor shift to other medical colleges
• Failure on the part of the college to obtain continuous affiliation for the medical seats after the first two batches and no students having been admitted in the past two years
• The inability on the part of the college to be equipped to provide clinical training to students

It is reported that no student has been admitted to the medical college in the past two years.

Speaking to the New Indian Express, Rajeev Sadanandan said it was not a major issue and the government had given a clarification to the MCI

“The only problem is regarding obtaining clearance from the MCI for the shifting of students. We have taken up the issue with the MCI. There is no need to worry,” he added.

It is believed that the Government has asked the MCI that the conditions applicable for sanctions toself-financing medical colleges, be made applicable for government colleges, as well.This is in line with the fact that applying for sanction from the MCI, the self-financing medical colleges have to submit an undertaking from the government that the students will be permitted to use the facilities at government medical colleges, till the new college develops infrastructure facilities.

The government’s communiqué to the MCI states that the Idukki student shift is temporary, as works to provide facilities are underway reports TNIE.