New Delhi : Proposal to make PGIMER, VMMC part of Delhi University moves ahead

New Delhi : The proposal of transferring, two major medical colleges of the capital Safdarjung Hospital ( Vardhman Mahavir Medical College) and Dr RML Hospital ( Post Graduate Institute of Medical Education and Research, PGIMER), is seeing strong movements, with the Delhi University officials now contemplating on how to make the transfer, a reality.

Recently, Faculty of Medical Sciences, DU, called for an emergent BRS meeting to consider and discuss the proposal ( via Ministry of Health and Family welfare letter) regarding the officiation of Safdarjung Hospital ( Vardhman Mahavir Medical College) and Dr RML Hospital ( Post Graduate Institute of Medical Education and Research, PGIMER)

The BRS discussed in length the difficulties that medical graduates face in getting PG medical seats in the capital. Earlier the aforementioned hospitals with approx 100 PG seats were affiliated to University of Delhi. With the establishment of GGS IP University, these two hospitals preferred affiliation with IP university.

This led to what the BRS referred as a contrast situation of availability of post-graduate medical seats in University of Delhi and GGS IP University, which may be shown as below:

G.G.S.I.P University University Of Delhi MBBS Seats PG Seats MBBS Seats PG Seats 400 150 600 240

With the current distribution, it is implied that medical students of University of Delhi are in a dis-advantageous in getting PG medical seats compared to the student GGS IP University

The meeting then concluded

The BRS after a length of discussions unanimously recommended that necessary steps may be taken by the Faculty of Medical Sciences, University of Delhi to pursue the matter with the concerned authorities to find out the possibilities to officiate these two institutions, that is , Safdarjung Hospital ( Vardhaman Mahavir Medical College ) and RML Hospital (PGIMER), both central government hospitals/institutions with the University of Delhi, in accordance with the provisions given in the Act Statute and Ordinances of the University.

The BRS authorises the Dean, Faculty of Medical Sciences to take up the matter with the concerned authorities

Students Reaction

The proposal indeed has put the two universities in battle ground, with DU welcoming the proposal while IP university students opposing it.

The initiation of transfer has met with strong opposition of GGS IP university students, who would be at a disadvantage if the process of transfer goes ahead.

Currently, while the two main Hospital i.e., Safdarjung Hospital and Dr RML Hospital fall with the central government, their two medical colleges i.e. Vardhman Mahavir Medical College and Post Graduate Institute of Medical Education and Research respectively are affiliated with GGS IP university , which is a part of the Delhi government.

Since IP university falls under the state/UT government, there is 50% reservation for delhi students. With reservation many students join IP university at the undergraduate level to avail this advantage at the PG level. With the said transfer, the benefit to student will now be denied, leading to many students opposing the move.

Many students have also pointed out that rather than doing all the shuffles, government should focus its energy in increasing the PG medical seats in Delhi University, which have not seen an increase in more than a decade now.