Medical students unable to practice or continue further studies, as course not approved by MCI

Thiruvananthapuram : The High Court has directed the State Health Department to take corrective measures on the deficiencies pointed out by the Medical Council of India at the Kottayam medical college before January 30. The college’s Forensic Medicine course has been denied recognition by the MCI, due to prevailing deficiencies.

Similar is the fate of several other post graduate courses being offered by Government Medical Colleges. The MCI has refrained from granting approval to 53 postgraduate courses in various medical colleges in 2016 due to deficiencies.

Approximately 250 doctors who have done specialty and super specialty courses from Government Medical Institutions are at a loose end, as the courses are not recognized.

Postgraduate students of Kottayam Medical College in a petition had alleged the college’s Forensic Medicine course started in 2010 had been denied approval from the MCI. The first batch that completed the course in 2013 are still unable to pursue higher studies or join medical service since the course does not have the MCI approval, the petitioners said.

The MCI denial for the Forensic Medicine course comes in the face of shortage of faculty and lack of journals in the library. The MCI has also observed that one of the department professor does not meet the criteria of published articles .

The MCI had after its 2013 inspection urged the Director of Medical Education to rectify the shortcomings. However, the apex body team in its 2016 inspection observed that the deficiencies pointed at earlier, continued to prevail reports TOI.