With approval gone, Gian Sagar prepares for student shift

Patiala: The ‘essentiality certificates’ given to medical, dental, nursing and physiotherapy colleges run by Gian Sagar Educational and Charitable Trust have finally been withdrawn by the state government. This has been done in the absence of the college management coming up with any concrete revival plan for the college facing a financial crisis. The government will now start shifting the 1,550 students of Gian Sagar to other medical institutions of the state.

Despite the college matter still pending in the Punjab and Haryana High Court, the state government has already initiated talks with the apex education regulator in the absence of the college authorities coming up with viable survival plans for the institutions. Gian Sagar Medical College has been inoperative for about 3 months due to financial crisis. The electricity and water supply to the college have been shut down due to non payment of bills.

At the latest writ petition hearing, the government made it clear that it had no intentions of taking over the college, as it may have hidden financial loans. It also expressed a doubt about the college properties being attached by the Lodha panel, as the owner of the Gian Sagar trust, Nirmal Bangroo, was one of the key accused in the Rs 45,000cr PACL ponzi scam.

“The staff members were of the view that we should acquire the college instead of constructing a new Rs 200-crore medical college in Mohali. But here, we will be getting 60 per cent grant from the Centre. Moreover, we don’t know how much hidden liabilities Gian Sagar has. We cannot take that risk,” Health and Medical Education Minister, Brahm Mohindratold Tribune.

The Minister revealed to have been given a go ahead by the MCI for shifting the 1,550 Gian Sagar students to 8 other medical institutions of the state, in accordance with the merit list.

The Class four employees have expressed deep disappointment on the development as they have been living on borrowed money, in the hope of things getting settled with time.

Meanwhile, the state machinery has got into action for the shift with the Medical Education Secretary, Vikas Partap stating that a formal communiqué regarding permission withdrawals will be sent to both the union government and the various medical, dental and nursing councils, seeking shift permissions.

The procedure for shift calls for the Union Health Ministry on recommendations granted by various Councils, sanction increase of seats in other colleges, which are to adjust the Gian Sagar students. Fresh counselling will ensue.

“The students will be shifted to other colleges on the same pattern they were admitted to Gian Sagar,” said an official. For example, a student enrolled under the government quota at Gian Sagar will be shifted in the same category in other colleges, said the official.

Though the task ahead is not a simple one as there are 500 students in each of the MBBS, Dental and Nursing courses, officials seem confident of completing the job successfully.

The state has 109 nursing, 16 dental and nine medical colleges, both in government and private sectors.

Parents want the transition to be quick to avoid further academic loss to their children.

Read Also: The unfortunate closure of Gian Sagar Medical College