New MD seats unlikely for SKIMS, till the previous recognized by MCI

Srinagar: The Medical Council of India (MCI), has informed J&K that the central Government has decided to grant a one-time increase in seats in Clinical Courses under revised teacher-student ratio in Government Medical Colleges.

However, Central Government’s decision to grant a one-time increase in seats in Clinical Courses under revised teacher-student ratio in Government Medical Colleges.of J&K seems to have hit the Sher-e-Kashmir Institute of Medical Sciences, (SKIMS) adversely. The enhancement is likely to witness a set back due to non-recognition of the earlier MD seat hike granted to the college by the Medical Council of India(MCI).

As per a report in Greater Kashmir, 37 additional postgraduate seats granted during the past few years to SKIMS Soura and SKIMS Medical College (MC) Bemina are yet to be given recognition by the Council.

These seats had been granted to the colleges in addition to present intake capacity of SKIMS. With approval still pending the possibility of de-recognition of these seats runs high.

As per Council norms, “failure to seek timely recognition for PG course “shall invariably result in stoppage of admission to the concerned postgraduate course”.

According to SKIMS officials, the seats already granted should have been recognized by 2017. As that did not happen since the Council was not approached for derecognition was likely.

In 2015, sixteen seats were enhanced at SKIMS under a centrally sponsored scheme. The branches that received this enhancement in intake capacity are general medicine (3), general surgery (3) and anesthesia (5). Previously, six seats had also been enhanced in pediatrics at the institute. In addition, 20 seats were added at SKIMS MC, in the specialties of anesthesia (6), radio-diagnosis (9), orthopedics (3), ophthalmology (1) and gynae & obstetrics (1).

The central Government’s latest one-time seat increase announcement in clinical courses has brought the pending issue of seat recognition at SKIMS to the forefront. SKIMS has approached the council for demanding an increase in MD seats (clinical branches) under the revised teacher-student ratio,

According to SKIMS officials, the recognition delay of previous seats may lead to hurdles being created in the granting of a fresh intake of seats to SKIMS for its postgraduate programs. “Apart from MCI recognition for previously increased seats, there should be adequate infrastructure and manpower to justify the demand,” Dr Omar Javed Shah, Interim-Director, SKIMS said.

“We will have an inspection by MCI for recognition of existing seats very soon,” he told Greater Kashmir

Health and Medical Education Department Officials said that a 64 seat proposal for additional seats for 2018-19 had been submitted to the Council along with a letter explaining the reasons for the delay.

Since submission dates for the previous seats have elapsed SKIMS admin has taken the matter up with the MoHFW. “We have received a positive response from the MCI and hope the matter will be resolved at the earliest,” said Dr Shah.