The Medical Council of India (MCI) has accorded temporary approval for 50 additional MBBS seats at the K.A.P.Viswanatham Government Medical College in Tiruchi in 2016-17.
The regular strength is 100 seats. Now, the college can admit 150 seats for the current year. The MCI has sent a communication to the college on according formal permission for the additional seats. While admissions under the State quota for the additional seats were made through counselling, the seats under the all India quota would be filled up soon.
Ever since the State government decided to increase the strength of MBBS seats from 100 to 150 in 2012-13, the college has been facing an uphill task of fulfilling the conditions of the MCI every year. The college had offered 50 additional seats, in addition to 100 seats in 2015-16 based on temporary approval by the MCI.
While granting permission, the MCI had asked the college to meet all requirements for conducting MBBS course with 150 seats. Based on it, the State government had taken a number of steps to increase the manpower requirements, classroom facilities and others. Following this, a team visited the college and the Mahatma Gandhi Medical College Hospital, which is attached to the medical college. The team inspected all facilities including hostels, canteens, classrooms and others required for 150 seats. The team paid special attention to verify whether the shortcomings noted in the earlier visits have been addressed.
M.K. Muralidharan, Dean of the college, told The Hindu that students would be admitted as per the MCI’s approval. The college had so far got permission for four batches since 2012-13. It had started the process for seeking approval for the year 2017-18 for additional seats.
