Punjab: DCI intervenes in disaffiliation of courses of dental surgery

Punjab: The health ministry has been approached by the Dental Council of India (DCI), who is seeking to revoke the disaffiliation of five specialised master’s courses in dental surgery at the Dr Harvansh Singh Judge Institute of Dental Sciences and Hospital, Panjab University.

As reported by MD team earlier, Dr Harvansh Singh Judge Institute of Dental Sciences and Hospital, Punjab University, is facing disaffiliation of five master courses of dental surgery by the Dental Council of India, in the absence of a principal, at the institute. The health ministry had earlier signaled towards the same, so the ball is now in the council’s court

In an official word of exchange between the ministry and the DCI, the latter has requested the health minister, J P Nadda to cancel the disaffiliation of the courses. The DCI has also gone ahead and recommended an approval for the sixth course that the university has applied for the next academic session.

PU Vice-Chancellor Arun Kumar Grover implied that the DCI has made an appeal to the ministry in favor of the varsity. It has also issued a corrigendum on April 21, which states that the council has no objection to the courses offered by the university, if the health ministry gives its nod for the next academic session.

This news comes in the wake of ministry having noted a report by the inspection team following the annual renewal of the courses at PU.

The inspection team in its report has pointed out various deficiencies, more prominently the fact that there is no regular principal for the college; which is in clear violation of the DCI norms.

Tribune reported that the ministry on April 12 had communicated to the varsity that the courses stood disaffiliated from the next session.

It is reported that the MCI earlier on had insisted on the same during an inspection.

The dental college was actually seeking approval for specialized courses in masters of dental surgery by adding three more seats. According to sources at the university, an inspection was conducted for the same by the DCI . The conclusion at the end was exactly the opposite pointing out at the courses be discontinued, for the next academic session. The reason for discontinuation is primarily identified to be the absence of an appointee principal.