Doctors and parents across the country have appealed to the Medical Council of India (MCI) to “rethink” its decision to scrap 32 per cent MBBS seats. Arguing that it would put undue pressure on students, the Medicos Legal Action Group (MLAG) – a group of medical professionals – has noted that the move “will reduce the total number of seats available and unduly increase competition among aspirants”.
The MCI has withdrawn permission for 15,890 of the 49,950 MBBS seats nationwide. According to a Council official, the move comes after several medical colleges were not able to meet the minimum infrastructural/educational requirement needed to operate the facility.
The move by MCI is reportedly being brought in to ensure ‘high quality of medical education’. “On the one hand, the government is bringing in community health graduates for rural India and focusing on pushing up the number of doctors, on the other this current move runs counter to this stated policy,” said S.K. Sharma, a resident of Janak Puri here, whose son is preparing for his medical entrance examination.
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MCI president Dr. Jayshreeben Mehta noted: “In order to run a medical college, one has to meet the minimum requirements and regulation set by the MCI.”
The MCI has given colleges time up till June 15 to comply with orders and shape up to start the admission process after which clearance will be given on a case to case basis. It is not yet known if MBBS seats have been scrapped from private colleges.