Chintpurni Medical College finally closes its doors

Patiala: With the BJP losing the Gurdaspur election the fate of Swaran Salaria owned Chintpurni Medical College(CMC), has finally been sealed, of which the MP happens to be Chairman. A complete shutdown of the medical college has been announced by the government.

The college has been admitting students without the Medical Council of India (MCI), approval ever since its inception in 2011. The Health Minister, Brahm Mohindra revealed that matters had already been discussed, regarding the shift, with cabinet officials; and they had been instructed to carry out the necessary shift of students of batches belonging to 2014 and 2016.

The 2011 batch of 150 students has already been shifted to other colleges, as they had moved the Punjab and Haryana High Court, much before the other two batches, consisting of a 101 and 148 students of 2014 & 2016 batches respectively. These later batches became alert to their situation a little later.

The college authorities had despite the absence of an MCI approval managed to admit the 2014 and 2016 batches, by submitting sureties worth 10 and 2 crores, respectively.

He said that the students would be shifted to other medical colleges in the state as soon as the approval of the MCI and Union Ministry of Health is received. The admissions were sanctioned on the promise that the college would either clear the MCI inspection or lose its sureties.

As the medical college failed to get an MCI clearance, the apex regulator has already begun enchasing- the submitted sureties.

The state government on September 8 was ordered by the Punjab and Haryana High Court to expedite the shift of the 2014 batch, which had also moved the court like the 2011 batch. The government, on the other hand, has also taken on the responsibility of shifting the 2016 batch as well; totaling a shift of 249 Chintpurni students.

The shift was also discussed with the Punjab Chief Minister, Captain Amarinder Singh, on October 16 by the state cabinet in line with the government's inclination to protect the interests and careers of the state's students.

The state cabinet which met under Punjab Chief Minister, Captain Amarinder Singh, on October 16, also discussed the issue of shifting of these students to other institutions. The CM in a statement had asserted that his government was committed to protecting the careers of the students.

The Chief Minister had also given a personal assurance to affected students, who met him in Pathankot last month, during the election campaign, reports TOI.