The Medical Council of India has refused to increase the annual intake of students in the Patna Medical College and Hospital and Shri Krishna Medical College and Hospital, Muzaffarpur, from 100 to 150 and 50 to 100 respectively. The move has come as a serious setback to the state government, which approached the MCI in this regard. The MCI’s decision came following the inspection of the medical colleges in May.
Shortage of teachers and other factors are responsible for this rejection. In fact the number of faculty in the PMCH is less even for the present intake of 100 students annually. It has 23 per cent less teachers. There are 58 less teachers when their total strength should be 252. There exists vacancy for the one post of professor, 15 associate professors and 42 assistant professors. In fact the MCI has given one month time to the PMCH to fill these vacancies.
The Shri Krishna Medical College and Hospital also faces serious shortage of teachers and lack infrastructural facility even for the intake of 50 students. Media reports say that all the six medical colleges of the state face de-recognition, thus at present there is no question of increase in the intake of students.
That is not all. The state government has, in all practical purposes, given up its effort to open a medical college in Madhepura. Last week local residents strongly protested the withdrawal of the doctors posted for this purpose. They alleged that it was none else but the chief minister, Nitish Kumar, who announced that Madhepura will soon have a medical college.
Source: Bihartimes 07/July/08
