Offering Maximum permissible MBBS seats as per MCI, KGMU not to implement EWS quota this year

Lucknow: What may be a setback to students belonging to Economically Weaker Sections (EWS) who intended to pursue MBBS from the renowned King George's Medical University (KGMU); the EWS quota has not been implemented at the medical college for this academic session of 2019-2020.

This comes in light of the fact that the prestigious KGMU is already offering the maximum permissible seats as per the Medical Council of India that is 250 MBBS seats and hence has no scope for expansion under the current regulations.

However, MBBS admission to EWS quota might take place next year.

According to KGMU authorities, the decision to not put the EWS reservation was taken considering the stipulated cap of MBBS seats set by the apex medical regulator, Medical Council of India (MCI) for all medical colleges across the country.

As per the MCI norms issued 5 years ago, the maximum limit for MBBS seats in a medical college is 250 and to implement the EWS quota, corresponding seats need to be increased.

Medical Dialogues has been reporting extensively about the implementation of EWS quota. The Constitution (124th Amendment) Bill on providing 10 per cent EWS reservation in jobs and education to the general category poor was passed by Parliament on January 9.

As per the policy, 10 per cent will be reserved for EWS quota and for its implementation, corresponding increments in the PG medical and MBBS seats will be made at various government medical colleges. For the same, MCI had asked the DMEs, state secretaries, heads of medical colleges and universities of various states to furnish details of the course wise seats at the various medical colleges

The Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare (MoHFW) and the MCI BoG increased the MBBS seats by 4,465 in view of the EWS reservation in over 132 medical colleges across the country.

Since the KGMU already has 250 MBBS seats; it had not put forward any proposal for such a hike. As a result, no EWS admissions could be taken in this academic year.

In total, 291 seats were increased in the state of Uttar Pradesh to fulfil EWS quota.

Read Also: MCI, Union Health Ministry increase 4465 MBBS seats in 132 Medical Colleges for EWS Quota

Speaking to TOI, Nodal officer for MBBS admissions Professor ND Verma mentioned that KGMU already has 250 seats, hence further increase is not possible till the state government lifts the cap and the university's infrastructure and faculty strength improve.

KGMU Registrar Rajesh Kumar Rai informed TOI that EWS quota might be implemented from the next year after taking MCI approval.