Criticising the Medical Council of India (MCI) for conducting its affairs “in a cavalier style, totally oblivious [to] the pressing need for more doctors in the country”, the Karnataka High Court has directed it to allow the Vydehi Institute of Medical Sciences and Research Centre (VIMSRC) to increase MBBS seats by 100.
Besides, as admission to the MBBS course was not yet closed (September 30 is the last day), the additional seats at VIMSRC for the academic year 2012-13 could be filled in the regular manner, the court said on Tuesday.
A Division Bench comprising Chief Justice Vikramajit Sen and Justice B.V. Nagarathna delivered the verdict, dismissing MCI’s appeal challenging the July 12 order of a single judge Bench; the earlier order had asked MCI to reconsider its June 13 decision to refuse permission to VIMSRC to enhance intake from 150 to 250.
The MCI argued that the institute had not completed 10 years (as on June 2012) of being a teaching hospital, as per the amended regulation of 2010. The institute pointed out that the hospital was established in 2000-01, with the MCI granting permission for MBBS course on August 8, 2002. It started out with 100 seats for 2002-03; in 2007, MCI enhanced the intake to 150.
The institute contended that “10 years of being in standing” refers to the hospital and not the institute, as it is related to the number of beds.
The Bench pointed out that as the first permission granted by the MCI was on August 8, 2002, it should have anticipated that 10 years would have elapsed before the commencement of the 2012-13 academic year.
“If requirement is for the existence of a hospital as a ‘teaching hospital’, the initial permission would become impossible to grant even for student strength of 100,” the Bench observed.
