MUHS freezes Medical Admission at Maharashtra Medical College for 2019-20; Awaits MCI Recognition

Mumbai: The admission process at Smt Kashibai Navale Medical College has been put to a halt until Maharashtra University of Health Sciences (MUHS), to which the medical college is affiliated to; till it receives a response from the medical college on the accusations of irregularities at the institute.

The varsity is also waiting for the recognition affirmation from the Medical Council of India (MCI) in regard to the medical college seats. The medical college runs under Sinhgad Technical Education Society's (STES).

The halt comes after Dr KD Chavan, MUHS Registrar conducted a surprise inspection at the medical college based on the complaints received by medical students and parents alleging irregularities which apparently led to a major setback of medical students on the education front. The key reason for these irregularities is the financial crisis being faced by the Institute for a few years. Consequent to this issue, faculty opted for mass resignation leaving medical students with no classes.

Medical Dialogues had extensively reported about the monetary issues at one of the most sought-after private medical colleges in Maharashtra. A few years ago, nearly 50 per cent of the surgery department and most of the junior staff members resigned from the medical college, citing “non-payment” of salaries.

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The delay in payment allegedly had started in 2017 when salaries were paid 2-3 months late. Later, on June 18, 2018, the teachers decided to go on a strike and refused to conduct lectures.

After this issue witnessed a little bit of a resolution, on December last year, the power of the hospital, attached with the medical college; was cut by the Maharashtra State Electricity Distribution Company Limited (MSEDCL). This drastic step was taken against the establishment in the face of an unpaid bill of a whopping Rs 1.66 crore.

With the power of the hospital being cut, the medical college experienced a major shutdown resulting in no lectures and a rejection of patients coming for treatment. The medical college administration did manage a few days with generators but there was no scope of clinical practice for medical students.

While professors stopped teaching and doctors stopped treatment, the students’ council moved the state government, Directorate of Medical Education and Research (DMER), MUHS and other government bodies complaining against the college management.

The matter which raised eyebrows of many of the affected parties is that the medical college charges the highest for MBBS course; still it has been unable to pay the stipends of the staff, resident doctors, PG students and doctors. UG students at the medical college pay annual fees of Rs 12 lakh, excluding for hostel and exams, and Post-Graduate students Rs 14 lakh annually.

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Last month, the MUHS Registrar had conducted a surprise inspection at the medical college which revealed several discrepancies. The detailed discrepancies noted in the inspection report are mentioned below:

• There is lack of funds for payment of staff. Staff has not received payment. Teaching (September 2018) and non-teaching (July 2018), nursing (July 2018) postgraduate resident doctors (September 2018) and class 4 staff (July 18). Only Emergency patients are admitted in the casualty since 18 December 2018. Most of the wards of different departments are closed down due to lack of electricity Whole hospital and college building is functioning on the diesel Generator supply since 18 December 2018.


• OPD is functioning from 9.00 AM to 3.00 PM. Number of OPD patients are less.


• Central Oxygen is functioning at present.


• All Operation theatres are closed down. No major surgeries are being conducted Only few minor Surgeries (emergency) are undertaken


• ICCUs MICU/ICU/SICU’s are not-functioning.


• First MBBS/Second MBBS/Third MBBS Theory Classes are being conducted Audiovisuals AIDS are functioning on generators. For clinical departments, only theoretical PG activities are being conducted. As per few postgraduate students (Ortho, ENT, Surgery, Ophthalm.) PG activities are few and not being conducted with interest


• Pathology, Microbiology. Biochemistry laboratories are functioning partially with limited resources.


• There is no Electricity supply in library since December (18th December) It is functioning on generators.


• Pharmacy is not functioning. Since 2 months stock is not replenished and existing stock is also limited


• In the last week of December, teaching was stopped by teachers for 3 to 4 days. There was a strike by Non-teaching staff In March 2018 that time also they had not received payments.


• MCI Inspection was conducted on 9th and 10th January 2019 for undergraduate 150 seats. MCI recognition inspection during examination was conducted on 18^th December 2018.


• On physical verification total, 219 teaching faculty was available 56 were on leave. Real-time biometric software for all employee is not working properly it is very slow and not showing reports properly.


• Few teaching faculty especially surgery have left the institute due to lack of payments


• On interaction with undergraduate and postgraduate students, all the students had main complaints related to non-availability of electric supply, lack of payment to hostel mess and lack of clinical material for study.

Admissions Stalled

Noting the abovementioned issues at the medical college and faults of the institute’s management, the university stalled the admission process. The report signed by the university’s Registrar clearly stated,

“…it is decided by the University to held admissions in abeyance it A.Y. 2019-20 till such time appropriate compliance is done by the college as well as degree is recognized by the Central Council for increased intake capacity and recognizing the PG seats. You are required to take necessary steps at your college level.”

While the admissions on hold are for time being, MUHS is waiting for official communication from the college to take a further decision over the admission.

Dr KD Chavan, Registrar of MUHS confirmed to Mirror, “We have kept the admissions of the academic year 2019-20 on hold till official communication from college and recognition from MCI.”

Meanwhile, Dr Shalini Sardesai, Dean of the Medical College informed, “We had received a letter from MUHS regarding admissions being stalled. But now the situation in college has improved. Classes are being conducted regularly and admissions in the hospital are also going on smoothly. OPD has also resumed and there are about 2,000 OPD patients. We will communicate the same to MUHS and MCI.”

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