The Karnataka government is thinking of starting a hi-tech hospital and medical college on the northern outskirts of Bangalore in about two years from now.
Chief Minister B.S. Yeddyurappa and Minister for Medical Education Ramachandra Gowda have held a round of discussion on starting a sophisticated medical facility in the government sector, a proposal that is expected to take shape in the near future.
The government will hold consultations with experts in the medical field before it appoints a committee to prepare a project report.
The college will come up on 150 acres of government land at Devanahalli and the construction cost is estimated at around Rs. 500 crore.
Mr. Ramachandra Gowda told The Hindu that admissions to the medical college would be restricted to Non-Resident Indians and affluent students and at best the government would permit admissions to around 25 per cent of the meritorious students and their fee would be subsidised. “It will take some time to finalise the nitty-gritty of the admission process. I have just held a round of discussions with the Chief Minister,” he said.
“The hospital should be akin to facilities provided to patients at the Jayadeva Institute of Cardiology in south Bangalore,” he said.
Faculty shortage
Asked about the availability of teaching staff for the college in the light of the Medical Council of India reducing the student intake in some government colleges owing to poor facilities and staff, Mr. Ramachandra Gowda said staff availability had in fact improved in recent years.
The Minister said that more MBBS seats would be made available for students from the next academic year (2011-12) in the government-run colleges in the State, he said.
