The National Medical Commission (NMC) will no longer recognise 150 out of the total 180 MBBS seats at Indira Gandhi Medical College and Research Institute (IGMCRI), Puducherry, stated a report in The New Indian Express.
Under Graduate Medical Education Board (UGMEB) Director Shambhu Sharan Kumar said the college does not have the minimum required faculty members and resident doctors. Also, the college lacks Aadhaar Enabled Biometric Attendance System (AEBAS) and surveillance cameras that are mandatory. "Hence, the application for the continuation of recognition for the 150 MBBS seats in IGMCRI has been disapproved,” he said.
When did admissions begin?
IGMCRI commenced admissions in 2010 and got permanent registration in 2015 with 150 MBBS seats. Later, 30 seats were added under the EWS category in 2019 by the Government of India. Due to the pandemic, the scheduled inspection was not done physically in 2020. A virtual assessment was held by a team appointed by the Medical Assessment and Rating Board (MARB) on April 12 and 13, 2022 followed by a physical verification on January 4, 2023. The commission noted several deficiencies including a lack of faculty members and CCTV cameras which was communicated to the college authorities through a letter dated April 17, 2023.
The UGMEB sought a response from the college through a virtual hearing on May 15, 2023, but to no avail. However, the NMC has provided the college with an option to appeal after solving the deficiencies.
How will students be affected?
The discontinuation of recognition would affect students of all batches including those appearing for their final year examinations and those who were admitted this year.
“We have minor technical deficiencies and they are being sorted out. We will appeal soon and are confident that it will be restored," C Udhayshankar, the director of IGMCRI told The New Indian Express.
It has been clarified that there is no shortage of faculty members and they have been directed to mark attendance regularly through AEBAS. Also, 25 new cameras have been installed. A modem worth Rs 2 lakh has been installed and the cameras are getting linked to the NMC website, he added.