The proposed medical colleges at Thiruvananthapuram and Parippally were not able to be started this academic year solely on account of the inaction on part of the government, the former Health Minister V. S. Sivakumar, has charged.
A press note issued here said the permission for the Parippally college was denied as the government did not provide information regarding the appointment of teaching and non-teaching staff and other infrastructural facilities to the Central government within the time-frame allowed by the supreme court.
The proposed college in Thiruvananthapuram, for which the medical council and the Union Health Ministry had given permission, was not started this year for political reasons. Even though the previous UDF government had created the posts required for the Parippally college, it could not be notified on account of the model code of conduct for the elections. If the present government had issued that order soon after coming into office, that college would not be in the present plight, the pressnote said. In effect 200 students had lost the chance to study the MBBS course in the government merit seats.
Reduced seats compared to last year
Compared to last year there has been a reduction of 750-odd seats for the MBBS course this year. This is worrisome, the pressnote added.
