MCI rejects Chandrapur, Gondia GMCs application

By Vikas Vaidya

In a major setback to proposed Government Medical Colleges at Chandrapur and Gondia, the regulating body-Medical Council of India- has returned the applications seeking permission to open these two institutions, citing numerous deficiencies. MCI has also recommended Union Health Ministry not to approve the scheme for the academic year 2015-16. Both the colleges were expected to have intake of 100 undergraduate seats (MBBS) each. 
This has come as a big shock for both the districts as the political bigwigs have made it a prestige point. For Chandrapur, former MP Naresh Pugalia pursued the matter and his son Rahul had even filed a PIL while for Gondia, Congress MLA Gopaldas Agrawal passionately followed the matter.
The MCI had already recommended reduced intake for Indira Gandhi Government Medical College and Hospital (IGGMCH) from 150 to 100 seats and thus the region had already lost 50 MBBS seats. These 50 additional seats were sanctioned as one time measure by Union Health Ministry, that too after a bitter legal battle and orders from High Court which was later upheld by the Supreme Court.
In the 24 deficiencies pointed out by MCI, it has said that “All the faculty have been transferred from Nagpur GMCH on December 9, 2014. There is no proper joining report. Declaration forms are also incomplete.’
When asked about this particular deficiency, Dr Praveen Shingare, Director of Medical Education and Research said, “Some of the faculty had complained to MCI about this posting. I personally looked into it and sent a letter to Dean of Nagpur GMCH. In that letter I specifically instructed him that after keeping required staff at GMCH, surplus should be sent to Chandrapur and Gondia.”
Interestingly, the Nagpur GMCH and IGGMCH are already facing an acute staff crunch and many teaching posts are vacant. However, the DMER seemed to have opted for a short cut to fulfill the MCI requirement before actual inspection date, instead of undertaking proper recruitment or timely transfers of faculty members. However, Dr Shingare maintained that there was no staff crunch at Nagpur GMCH.
Dr Abhimanyu Niswade, Dean GMCH, Nagpur was not available for comment.
During the inspection by MCI, the medical teachers candidly confessed that they were from IGGMCH and GMCH. Unfortunately this has been noticed by MCI Inspectors. This may have serious implications on the prospects of these medical colleges as well. State Government needs to address the issue of vacancy of teachers, opined one senior doctor.

Deficiencies pointed by MCI  at Chandrapur

- Deficiency of Faculty is 41% as detailed in report
- shortage of Residents is 44%
- Students’, nurses’, Residents’ hostels and residential quarters are yet to be constructed
- Casualty does not have disaster trolley, crash cart, defibrillator and ventilator.
- College building is yet to be constructed.
- OPD: Although registration counters are computerised, on day of assessment, computers were not working, four examination rooms as required for all departments are not available. Teaching areas are not adequate.
There are other deficiencies also pointed out by MCI.

Deficiency in beds  at Chandrapur

Department                      Beds
                          required   available  shortage
Gen Surgery       90              64            26

Deficiencies pointed by MCI at Gondia

- Deficiency of Faculty is 51.92% as detailed in report
- shortage of Residents is 62%
- Anatomy department, Pathology, Microbiology, Pharmacology, Forensic Medicine departments have several deficiencies.