North Bengal Medical College to be visited by MCI officials for inspection

Siliguri: The North Bengal Medical College and Hospital (NBMCH) is to be inspected by a team of Medical Council of India(MCI), officials between January 29 and February 9. They will be looking at the MBBS infrastructural facilities to be provided for the MBBS course, for the academic session 2018-2019

IT is reported that MCI had slashed 50 of the 150 MBBS seats at the NBMCH in the last academic session (2017-18), citing inadequate infrastructure facility, as a reason for it.

North Bengal Medical College, Principal, Dr Samir Ghosh Roy said there was prior information with them of the Council’s visit to the college.

“The MCI has informed us of its proposed visit. Necessary steps have been taken with regards to the infrastructure here and compliance with the MCI norms,” Dr Ghosh Roy informed the Statesman. The visit will coincide the final MBBS examinations at the NBMCH. “ The council team would also be looking into infrastructure, faculty strength, doctors, and the process of examinations. According to the Council, an auditorium and a lecture theatre have been readied for the visit as well.

In 2016, the Council had consented to provisional admissions of the fourth batch of 150 MBBS students, for the academic session- 2016/17, to the NBMCH. 50 additional MBBS seats had been granted by the Union Ministry of Health and Family to the NBMCH in 2015-2016.

The West Bengal University of Health Sciences had made clear to the institution that it was an I year provisional seat allocation for the year 2015- 2016. The 50 MBBS seats granted to North Bengal in 2013, were granted in addition to the earlier 100 seats.

Due to infrastructural concerns, the MCI had asked the authorities to upgrade the infrastructure for the additional seats. However, due to lack of compliance, including the setting up of the auditorium and lecture theatre, the additional seats granted were taken back in 2014. The taken away seats were returned in the same year to the college, with the promise of compliance within a certain span of time given by the Council, reports the Statesman.