The Madras High Court has held as illegal, the proposal of Tamil Nadu Dr.MGR Medical University to introduce 11 Post Graduate Diploma courses in medical sciences in 2011-12.
Petitioners M. Ramesh and others stated that the move was without the approval of the Centre and the Medical Council of India. These courses, including HIV medicine, (1/2 years) were part of the existing recognised courses approved by MCI/Centre which were being conducted by different colleges.
The examinations were conducted by the university. The university carved out the syllabus framed by MCI and was introducing new courses without necessary approval. Allowing the petitions, Justice N. Paul Vasanthakumar said that the university was not empowered to grant permission to any institution or medical college to conduct any PG diploma course in medical sciences without Central approval as required under the MCI Act.
As rightly submitted by petitioners' senior counsel, K.M. Vijayan, all PG diploma courses now permitted by the university were available in MCI regulations either as PG diploma courses or part of the degree courses or both.
Thus, it was evident that the university was seeking to introduce the course in different names on the same subject.
