TN: MCI grants temporary approval to KAP Viswanatham GMC for 50 additional MBBS seats

Tamil Nadu: K.A.P.Viswanatham GMC has been given permission by MCI to offer 50 more MBBS seats for 2016-17. The medical college will now offer admissions for 150 MBBS seats this year.

The MCI has officially communicated to the GMC that a formal approval has been granted to offer additional seats. Medical admissions through state quota have been done through counseling. Medical admissions under the all-India quota are expected to be completed soon.

The state government took the decision earlier in 2012-13 to increase the MBBS seats at the said medical college. However, it has been denied permission by MCI on grounds of not fulfilling the norms. This year it has been granted a temporary approval only. MCI has given permission directing the GMC to meet complete requirements to conduct an MBBS course of 150 seats.

The State government had increased the manpower requirements, classroom facilities, besides the rest, before the MCI visit at the premise. The council team paid a visit to the college and the attached Mahatma Gandhi Medical College Hospital to inspect the facilities. Facilities including, hostels, canteens, classrooms and more were inspected to review arrangement at the college to offer 150 MBBS seats.

M.K. Muralidharan, Dean of the college, told The Hindu that students would be admitted as per the MCI’s approval. The college had so far got permission for four batches since 2012-13. It had started the process for seeking approval for the year 2017-18 for additional seats.

There is more good news pouring in for medical aspirants in the state with the K.A.P. Viswanatham GMC now set to offer a PG course in psychiatry. The course will be introduced from the current academic year, according its Dean, M.K. Muralidharan.

He told The Hindu that the Medical Council of India (MCI) had given permission for starting the course.

After the MCI team visited the college premise to examine the facilities, they reportedly expressed satisfaction. Outpatient and inpatient wards, for providing treatment to mentally ill patients at MGM Government Hospital were also examined. 140-150 mentally ill patients are treated on an average daily bases in the OPD and 40 in inpatient ward.

Dr. Muralidharan said that the faculty strength of psychiatry department was also satisfactory. The college had two professors and three assistant professors. The State government had also sanctioned three senior assistant professors to the department. The process of selection was on, he said. He said a proposal had been sent to the government for setting up of de-addiction centre. A site had been identified for it. Similarly, he said the MCI had permitted the college to increase MD (Anaesthesia) seats to four from two.