AIIMS Madurai: Tamil Nadu to submit a report on student enrollment soon

The Centre had also suggested that the State can shift students in the first or the second year of their college back to AIIMS Madurai, once it starts functioning
Image for representational purpose only| Pic: PTI
Image for representational purpose only| Pic: PTI

Tamil Nadu will soon submit a report to the Union government on enrolling 150 students in the still-to-be constructed AIIMS at Thoppur in Madurai. Either 50 students will be accommodated at the Madurai, Theni, and Sivagangai medical colleges each, or 30 students each will be taken into the three as well as Thoothukudi and Trichy medical colleges, Health Minister Ma Subramanian said in Chennai on Thursday.

Speaking to reporters, he said the State received a communication from the Centre on June 4 suggesting that 150 medical students for AIIMS can be admitted either to JIPMER, Puducherry, or the medical college in Madurai or to any other private arts or medical college. Since Madurai medical college already had 250 students, the State thought of accommodating the 150 AIIMS students across three or five government medical colleges.

The Centre had also suggested that the State can shift students in the first or the second year of their college back to AIIMS Madurai, once it starts functioning. These options will be decided and a report will be submitted, the minister said. Earlier on Wednesday, Additional Advocate General Veera Kathiravan had argued before the Madurai bench of the Madras High Court that the State government had not received any communication from the Centre voicing its intention to begin classes at the institute.

Meanwhile, Subramanian further said that the construction of the institute can only be started after the Union government signs an agreement with JICA, which is funding it. The Centre, on December 17, 2018, had signed an agreement for releasing Rs 1,264 crore from JICA for the construction, to be completed in 45 months. But, JICA wanted to make it 71 months and also said that it can release funds only accordingly during each stage of the construction.

"Now, they should sign a revised agreement and only after a revised estimate is made, works can be started," the minister said. There are chances of students being brought back to the college before they finish their final year. Chief Minister MK Stalin, on June 5, had written a letter to Prime Minister Narendra Modi to speed up the works. He also met the latter in person and stressed on the subject, Subramanian said. The vaccination drive against Covid will be conducted smoothly from Friday as the State received over 1.36 lakh vaccine doses and is expecting more, said Subramanian. He added that the State had received over 1.50 crore vaccines from the Union government, so far.

In the July allocation of 71 lakh vaccines to the State, over 1.36 lakh vaccines were received on Thursday and were distributed to districts. The State would also receive six lakh vaccines by late evening, which will be distributed to the districts depending on the need, the minister said.

Since there were reports of a shortage of vaccines in Tamil Nadu, Subramanian said that the Chief Minister spoke to the Union government on the matter. Following this, the State also received 2.50 lakh vaccines on Wednesday, he added. The minister also inaugurated an oxygen plant and a 140-bed ward for paediatric cases for Covid treatment at the Government Stanley Medical College Hospital on the day.

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