MP: High Court issues notice to MCI, DMER on medical college recognition

Indore: The High Court has issued notices to the Director, Medical Education , Medical Council of India and Modern Institute of Medical Sciences (MIMS) based on a petition filed by 29 students seeking admission in other institutes.

The respondents are to submit their reply by September 22, the date fixed for the next hearing. The students have alleged that the institute without having been granted proper accreditation by the MCI, granted them admission, duping them of lacs of rupees.

The institute admitted 123 students to its MBBS course for the year 2015-16. However, an MCI inspection that followed didn’t grant recognition to the Shri Astha Foundation for Education Society, which then established MIMS to run the medical course.

The college management purportedly collected Rs 3.75 lakh towards tuition fee from students admitted through All India Pre Medical Test and Rs 89,000 towards hostel fee, plus caution deposit of Rs 35,000.

“After running classes for 26 days, the college administration stopped classes and kept us hanging for four–five months,” Anshul Sharma, one of the students who had moved court, said.

The institute collected an additional 65 lacs from students, for fighting more cases with the assurance that the advance would be adjusted against their fee or returned. On getting to know about these malpractices, the Vyapam whistleblower, Paras Saklecha moved the High Court in August.

“The college doesn’t have enough faculty members, doesn’t have class rooms or connected hospital for medical practice. While MCI cancelled its accreditation last year, how can it grant permission to run courses this year?” Saklecha asked. “The students were selected on merit. Now the state government should be responsible for their education. These students should be given preference for admission in other colleges this year.”

September 30 is the final date for National Eligibility-cum-Entrance Test (NEET) counselling for admission to MBBS/BDS course.